Sara Ahmed
Associate Professor
BSc (PT, McGill); MSc (Rehabilitation Medicine, McGill); PhD (Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McGill), Post-doctoral Studies (Clinical and Health Informatics, Medicine, McGill)
POTH 630 Measurement Rehabilitation 2
POTH 612 Advanced Research Methods
POTH 624 Masters Project
Prof. Ahmed conducts research aimed at improving health outcomes for individuals with chronic disease. Her research includes studies that 1) address the challenges of using patient reported outcomes (e.g. health-related quality of life, self-efficacy) in chronic disease management programs, and the use of advanced psychometric approaches for improving the precision and efficiency of outcome evaluations, 2) develop and evaluate the impact of chronic disease computer-enabled self-management interventions integrated into electronic personal health records (e.g. web-based asthma and COPD self-management applications), and 3) knowledge exchange and transfer related to best practices for chronic disease management.
Research Areas:
chronic disease management
clinical epidemiology
health informatics
health outcome assessment,
health services research
health technology assessment
population and public health
preventive Medicine
Cavallo, S., Brosseau, L., Toupin-April, K., Wells, G.A., Smith, C.A., Pugh, A.G., Stinson, J., Thomas, R., Ahmed, S., Duffy, C.M. and Rahman, P. (2017) Ottawa Panel evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for structured physical activity in the management of juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 98(5), pp.1018-1041.
Gogovor A, Visca R, Auger C, Bouvrette-Leblanc Iphigenia Symeonidis Lise Poissant Mark A. Ware, Yoram Shir, Natacha Viens, Ahmed S. (2017) Informing the design of a chronic pain internet-based self-management portal. International journal of Medical Informatics, 97, pp. 109–119
Ahmed S, Swaine B, Milot M, Gaudet C, Poldma T, Bartlett G, Mazer B, Le Dorze G, Barbic S, Rodriguez AM, Lefebvre H, Archambault PS, Fung J, Labbé D, Lamontagne A, Kehayia E et al. (2017) Creating an inclusive mall environment with the PRECEDE-PROCEED model: a living lab case study. Disability and Rehabilitation, pp. 1-9.
Kairy D, Messier F, Zidarov D, Ahmed S, Poissant L, Rushton P, Vincent C, Fillion B, Lavoie V. (2017) Evaluating the Implementation Process of a New Telerehabilitation Modality in Three Rehabilitation Settings using the Normalization Process Theory: Study Protocol. International Journal of Healthcare Management, pp. 1-8.
Shankland B, Beaton D, Ahmed S, Nedelec B. (2017) Effects of client-centered multimodal treatment on impairment, function, and satisfaction of people with thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis. Journal of Hand Therapy.
Ware P, Bartlett S, Paré G, Symeonidis I, Tannenbaum C, Bartlett G, Poissant L, Ahmed S. (2017) Using eHealth Technologies: Interests, Preferences and Concerns of Older Adults. Interactive Journal of Medical Research, 6(1):e3
Ahmed S, Ernst P, Bartlett S, Valois MF, Zaihra T, Paré G, Grad R, Eilayyan O, Perreault R, Tamblyn R. (2016) The effectiveness of web-based asthma self-management: A pilot randomized clinical trial of My Asthma Portal (MAP). Journal of Medical Internet Research, 18(12):e313
Dhopte P, Ahmed S, Mayo N, French S, Quon J, Bussières A. (2016) Testing the feasibility of a knowledge translation intervention designed to improve chiropractic care for adults with neck pain disorders: study protocol for a pilot cluster-randomized controlled trial. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 2:33.
Zaihra T, Walsh C, Ahmed S, Fugere C, Hamid Q, Olivenstein R, Martin J, Benedetti A. (2016) "Phenotyping of difficult asthma using longitudinal physiological and biomarker measurements reveals significant differences in stability between clusters". BMC Pulmonary Medicine, 16(1):74.
Black N, Burke L, Forrest CB, Ravens Sieberer UH, Ahmed S, Valderas JM, Bartlett SJ, Alonso J. (2015) Patient-reported outcomes: pathways to better health, better services, and better societies. Quality of Life Research, 25(5), 1103-1112.
Sena RDS, Bourbeau J, Li PZ, Ahmed S. (2015) Validity and usability testing of the Fitbit pedometer in patients with COPD. European Respiratory Journal; 46(suppl 59):PA2067
Shahrbanian S, Duquette P, Ahmed S, Mayo NE. (2015) Pain acts through fatigue to affect participation in individuals with multiple sclerosis. Quality of Life Research, 25(2), 477-491.
Martin P, Tamblyn R, Ahmed S, Benedetti A, Tannenbaum C. (2015) A consumer-targeted, pharmacist-led, educational intervention to reduce inappropriate medication use in community older adults (D-PRESCRIBE trial): study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial. Trials, 16:266.
Bauer M, Ahmed S, Benedetti A, Greenaway C, Lalli M, Leavens A, Menzies D, Vadeboncoeur C, Vissandjée B, Wynne A, Schwartzman K. (2015) Health-related quality of life and tuberculosis: a longitudinal cohort study. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 13: 65.
Ahmed, S., Ware, P., Visca, R., Bareil, C., Chouinard, M.C., Desforges, J., Finlayson, R., Fortin, M., Gauthier, J., Grimard, D. and Guay, M. (2015) The Prevention and Management of Chronic Disease in Primary Care: Recommendations from a Knowledge Translation Meeting. BMC Notes, 8:571.
Montague T, Gogovor A, Ahmed S, Torr E, Aylen J, Marshall L, Henningsen N, Nemis-White J. (2015) Contributions and Challenges of Non-professional Patient Care: A Key Component of Contemporary Canadian Health Care. Healthcare Quarterly, 8 (3): 18-22.
Tamblyn R, Ernst P, Winslade N, Huang A, Grad R, Platt RW, Ahmed S, Moraga T, Eguale. (2015) Evaluating the impact of an integrated computer-based decision support with person-centered analytics for the management of asthma in primary care: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 22(4):773-83.
Zaihra T; Ernst P; Tamblyn R; Ahmed S. Tailoring interventions: identifying predictors of poor asthma control. (2015) Annals of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology, 114(6):485-491.e1
Bussières AE, Al Zoubi F, Quon JA, Ahmed S, Thomas A, Stuber K, Sajko S, French S. (2015) Members of the Canadian Chiropractic Guideline Initiative. Fast tracking the design of theory-based KT interventions through a consensus process. Implementation Science, 10(1):18
Ahmed S, Marshall L, Gogovor A, Morton W, Norman, J., Nemis-White J, Montague T (2015). Challenges and Opportunities: Results of the 2013-2014 Health Care in Canada Survey 2015. Available from www.mcgill.ca/hcic-sssc.
Montague T, Nemis-White J, Marshall L, Gogovor A, Torr E, Ahmed S. (2015) Recent Health Care Trends in Canada: Perceptions of Quality, Access and Affordability; and, Priorities for Improvement, 1998-2014. Available from www.mcgill.ca/hcic-sssc.
Nemis-White J, Torr E, Gogovor A, Marshall L, Ahmed S, Montague T. (2014) Stakeholder Surveys of Canadian Health Care Performance: What Are They Telling Us? Who Should Be Listening? Who Should Be Acting; and, How? Healthcare Quarterly, 17(4):22-7.
Bauer M, Ahmed S, Benedetti A, Greenaway C, Lalli M, Leavens A, Menzies D, Vadeboncoeur C, Vissandjée B, Wynne A, and Schwartzman K. (2015) The impact of tuberculosis on health utility: a longitudinal cohort study. Quality of Life Research, 24(6):1337-4
Paap MC, Bode C, Lenferink LI, Groen LC, Terwee CB, Ahmed S, Eilayyan O, van der Palen J. (2014) Identifying key domains of health-related quality of life for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: the patient perspective. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 12(1):106.
Ahmed S, Ware P, Visca R, Gogovor A. (2014) La prévention et la gestion des maladies chroniques dans les soins de première ligne. Synthèse de la rencontre Pfizer-FRQS-MSSS de transfert de connaissances sur les maladies chroniques.
Tannenbaum C, Martin P, Tamblyn R, Benedetti A, Ahmed S. (2014) Reduction of inappropriate benzodiazepine prescriptions among older adults through direct patient education: the EMPOWER cluster randomized trial. JAMA Internal Medicine, 174(6):890-8
Ahmed S, Sawatsky R, Feldman D, Levesque J., Schwartz CE. (2014) Minimal Evidence of Response Shift in the Absence of a Catalyst. Quality of Life Research, 23(9):2421-30.
Petzold A, Korner-Bitensky N, Salbach NM, Ahmed S, Menon A, Ogourtsova T. (2014) Determining the barriers and facilitators to adopting best practices in the management of poststroke unilateral spatial neglect: results of a qualitative study. Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation, 21(3):228-36
Eilayyan O, Mayo NE, Ernst P, Gogovor A, Ahmed S. (2014) Predictors of perceived asthma control in primary care clinics. Quality of Life Research, 24(1):55-65.
Thomas A, Menon A, Boruff J, Rodriguez AM, Ahmed S. (2014) Applications of social constructivist learning theories in knowledge translation for healthcare professionals: a scoping review. Implementation Science, 9:54
Wicks P, Stamford J, Grootenhuis M, Haverman L, Ahmed S. (2013) Innovations in e-health. Quality of Life Research, 1-9.
Kwakkenbos L, Jewett LR, Baron M, Bartlett SJ, Furst D, Gottesman K, Khanna D, Malcarne VL, Mayes MD, Mouthon L, Poiraudeau S, Sauve M, Nielson WR, Poole JL, Assassi S, Boutron I, Ells C, van den Ende CH, Hudson M, Impens A, Körner A, Leite C, Costa Maia A, Mendelson C, Pope J, Steele RJ, Suarez-Almazor ME, Ahmed S, Coronado-Montoya S, Delisle VC, Gholizadeh S, Jang Y, Levis B, Milette K, Mills SD, Razykov I, Fox RS, Thombs BD. (2013) The Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network (SPIN) Cohort: protocol for a cohort multiple randomised controlled trial (cmRCT) design to support trials of psychosocial and rehabilitation interventions in a rare disease context. BMJ Open, 3:e003563.
Martin P, Tamblyn R, Ahmed S, Tannenbaum C. An educational intervention to reduce the use of potentially inappropriate medications among older adults (EMPOWER study): protocol for a cluster randomized trial. Trials. 2013, 14:80.
Schwartz CE, Ahmed S, Sawatzky R, Sajobi T, Mayo N, Finkelstein J, Lix L, Verdam MGE, Oort JF, Sprangers MAJ. Guidelines for secondary analysis in search of response shift. Quality of Life Research. 2013, DOI 10.1007/s11136-013-0402-0.
Prasanna S, Korner-Bitensky N, Ahmed S. Delay in accessing health care for knee osteoarthritis - Exploring Health Professional and Layperson Perceptions of Reasons. Physiotherapy Canada 2013; 65 (1): 56-63.
Martin P, Tamblyn R, Ahmed S, Tannenbaum C. A Drug Education Tool Developed for Older Adults Changes Knowledge, Beliefs and Risk Perceptions about Inappropriate Benzodiazepine. Prescriptions in the Elderly. Patient Education & Counseling. 2013, 92(1):81-7.
Reeve BB, Wyrwich KW, Wu AW, Velikova G, Terwee CB, Snyder CF, Schwatrz C, Revicki DA, Moinpour CM, McLeod LD, Lyons JC, Lenderking WR, Hinds PS, Hays RD, Greenhalgh J, Gershon R, Feeny D, Fayers PM, Cella D, Brundage M, Ahmed S, Aaronson NK, Butt Z. (2013). ISOQOL recommends minimum standards for patient-reported outcome measures used in patient-centered outcomes and comparative effectiveness research. Quality of Life Research, 22(8):1889-905.
Gogovor A, Burnand B, Ahmed S, Montague T and Peytremann-Bridevaux I. (2012) Team effectiveness in patient health management: An overview of reviews. International Journal of Clinical Medicine, 3(7):614-27.
Ahmed S, Basch E et al. (2012) The use of patient-reported outcomes (PRO) within comparative effectiveness research: Implications for clinical practice and healthcare policy. Medical Care, 50:1060-70.
Figueiredo S, Finch L, Mai JG, Ahmed S, Huang A and Mayo N. (2012) Nordic walking for geriatric rehabilitation: A randomized pilot trial. Disability and Rehabilitation, 35(12):968-75
Petzold A, Korner-Bitensky N, Salbach NM, Ahmed S, Menon A and Ogourtsova T. (2012) Increasing knowledge of best practices in occupational therapists treating post-stroke unilateral spatial neglectL Results of a knowledge-translation intervention study. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 44(2):188-24.
Ahmed S, Bartlett S, Ernst P, Pare G et al. (2011) My Asthma Portal (MAP): The effect of a web-based chronic disease management system on asthma control and health-related quality of life. Trials, 12:160.
Ahmed S, Mayo N, Scott S, Kuspinar A and Schwartz C. (2011) Using latent trajectory analysis of residuals to detect response shift in general health among patients with Multiple Sclerosis. Quality of Life Research, 20(10):1555-60.
Poissant L, Ahmed S, Riopelle RJ, Rochette A, Lefebvre H and Radcliffe-Branch D. (2010) Synergizing expectation and execution for stroke communities of practice innovations. Implementation Science, 5:44
Ahmed S, Gogovor A, Kosseim M et al. (2010) Advancing the chronic care road map: A contemporary overview. Healthcare Quarterly, 13(3):72-9.
Montague T, Gogovor A, Krelenbaum M, Ahmed S, Miloff BE and Burnand B. (2009) Changing healthcare: Stakeholder perceptions of the burnden of chronica disease and the value of teams, measurements and communication. Healthcare Quarterly, 12(2):e1-e13.
