The GACI is involved in a new research project to assess the long-term impacts of war on health and aging. The project will take place in Vietnam where many exposed to the wars in the 1960’s and 1970’s are now moving into older ages.  The project is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and is entitled “Health and Aging Post-Conflict: War’s Enduring Effects among Survivors in Vietnam“. This is an international project with collaborators from University of Utah, Singapore Management University, Hanoi Medical University, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, University of Washington and a number of other institutions. Data collection will being in 2018. We will update on the progress of the project, so please be sure to check the website occasionally for updates.

This summer, Dr. Zimmer joined a global network of migration and health scholars as part of the Migration Health and Development Research Initiative. Check out his MHADRI Profile located on the Network Member Portal.

Dr. Zimmer gave a presentation at Dalhousie University’s Community Health & Epidemiology Seminar Series on Monday, September 18, 2017 entitled “Religiosity, spirituality, aging and health in global perspective”. Please click here for more information on the presentation. 

We seek a dynamic individual with an interest in conducting research related to religiosity as a determinant of health and a mediating factor in the frailty-mortality association.  This position is jointly funded by the Geriatric Medicine Research (GMR), based at Dalhousie University/Nova Scotia Health Authority, under the direction of Dr. Kenneth Rockwood and Dr. Olga Theou, and the Global Aging and Community Initiative (GACI) at Mount Saint Vincent University, under the direction of Dr. Zachary Zimmer. The successful applicant will be expected to contribute to both research centers focusing on research related to religion and health or frailty. This position is ideal for an individual interested in gaining experience conducting secondary analysis and publishing research related to religiosity and health. The individual must be able to work across research groups with a diverse set of interests and should be well versed in quantitative methodologies. Proficiency in English is required. Applicants can be from any discipline.  Familiarity and interest in gerontology, demography, or epidemiology is beneficial.

Click here for the full job ad and how to apply.

Dr. Zimmer will present during the afternoon plenary from 2:55-3:35 pm on Friday, June 16 on Religiosity, Spirituality, Aging and Health in Global Perspectives. Please click here to access the program for Northwood’s 7th Annual Research Symposium. 

Click here for the save the date.

 

Dr. Zimmer is organizing a session entitled “Religiosity, Health and Aging in International and Cross-Cultural Perspective” at the IAGG World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics on July 24, 2017 (4:00 – 5:30 pm). Two members of the Linking Spirituality and Religiosity to Life and Health Expectancy project will be presenting papers – Dr. Chi-Tsun Chiu and Dr. Yasuhiko Saito. Dr. Carol Jagger, another research team member on this project, will be the chair of the session.

Dr. Zimmer will present a paper entitled Trends in Pain Prevalence among Older Adults in the United States: 1992 to 2012 at the IAGG World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics on July 25, 2017 during the “Disability, Chronic Conditions, and Pain” session (6:00 – 7:30 pm).

Two papers will be presented at the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population’s 2017 International Population Conference in Cape Town, South Africa on Oct. 29 – Nov. 4, 2017 as part of the Linking Spirituality and Religiosity to Life and Health Expectancy project.

• Zachary Zimmer will present the paper entitled, “Religious participation and health: A global comparative study” in session 401-2 (Identity, Context, and Wellbeing) of Theme 4: Culture, Religion, Language and Demographic Behaviours.
• Mary Beth Ofstedal will present a poster entitled, “Religion, Life Expectancy and Active Life Expectancy in the Unites States” in poster session P4.