Jessica Wong, DC, PhD

Assistant Professor

Contact information

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Education

  • BSc Medical Radiation Sciences (University of Toronto)
  • DC Chiropractic (Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College)
  • MPH Epidemiology (University of Toronto)
  • PhD Epidemiology (University of Toronto)
  • Postdoctoral Fellowship (Ontario Tech University)

Graduate Student Supervision

  • Health and Rehabilitation Sciences |

Research In Profile

Jessica J. Wong, DC, PhD is an Epidemiologist and Assistant Professor (tenure-track) at the School of Physical Therapy in the Faculty of Health Sciences at 澳门六合彩开奖预测. Her position is focused to the Advanced Health Care Practice program. Jessica holds a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Research Excellence, Diversity and Independence (REDI) Early Career Transition Award. She is an Assistant Professor (status-only) at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto, and an Adjunct Scientist at ICES 澳门六合彩开奖预测. Jessica leads a program of research in aging, musculoskeletal health, rehabilitation, and health equity. She focuses on developing innovative strategies to address unmet healthcare needs and improve equitable access-to-care for people in need of rehabilitation, including aging adults with musculoskeletal conditions. She leverages epidemiologic and knowledge synthesis methods, including population-based studies using linked population health survey and administrative data, and systematic and scoping reviews. Jessica co-designs her research alongside people with lived experience, their family members, and caregivers to co-create knowledge and ensure the research is relevant and meaningful. She has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and received several national awards, including CIHR REDI Award, Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship, CIHR Fellowship Award (declined), and CIHR Doctoral Award.

Featured Publications and Projects

Articles in Peer-Reviewed Journals

  • Wong JJ, Wang D, Hogg-Johnson S, Mior SA, Côté P. (2024). Prevalence and characteristics of healthcare utilization with different providers among Canadians with chronic back problems: A population-based study. Brain Spine; 4:102812. doi: 10.1016/j.bas.2024.102812
  • Wong JJ, Côté P, Tricco AC, Watson T, Rosella LC. Characterizing high-cost healthcare users among adults with back pain in Ontario, Canada: A population-based cohort study. Pain 2024 Mar 5. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003200
  • Côté P, Negrini S, Donzelli S, Kiekens C, Arienti C, Ceravolo MG, Gross DP, Battel I, Ferriero G, Lazzarini SG, Dan B, Shearer HM, Wong JJ, and Participants in the 5th Cochrane Rehabilitation Methodological Meeting (2024). Introduction to Target Trial Emulation in Rehabilitation: A Systematic Approach to Emulate a Randomized Controlled Trial Using Observational Data. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med;60(1):145-53. doi: 10.23736/S1973-9087.24.08435-1
  • Wong JJ, Hogg-Johnson S, De Groote W, Ćwirlej-Sozańska A, Garin O, Ferrer M, Pont Acuña A, Côté P. (2023). Minimal important difference of the 12-item World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) 2.0 in persons with chronic low back pain. Chiropr Man Therap;31(1):49. doi: 10.1186/s12998-023-00521-0
  • Lu M, Wong JJ, Côté P, Watson T, Rosella LC. (2023). Association between physiotherapy utilization and medical healthcare utilization and costs in adults with back pain from Ontario, Canada: A population-based cohort study. Pain;164(11):2572-2580. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002957
  • Wong JJ, DeSouza A, Hogg-Johnson S, De Groote W, Southerst D, Belchos M, Lemeunier N, Alexopulos S, Varmazyar H, Mior SA, Stern PJ, Nordin MC, Taylor-Vaisey A, Cieza A, Côté P. (2022). Measurement properties and minimal important change of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 in persons with low back pain: A systematic review. Arch Phys Med Rehabil; S0003-9993(22)00511-1. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2022.06.005
  • Wong JJ, Côté P, Tricco AC, Watson T, Rosella LC. (2022). Joint effects of back pain and mental health conditions on health care utilization and costs in Ontario, Canada: A population-based cohort study. Pain;163(10):1892-1904. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002587

Visit for a comprehensive list of publications.

Current Grants and Research Projects

  • Busse J (Principal applicant), Wong JJ (Co-principal applicant), Ye Z (Co-principal applicant), Mahar A, Ibrahim Q, Yao L, Phinney K, Thomas A, Hoppe T, Redburn D. (2024-2025). Healthcare utilization and costs between of veterans and civilians with chronic back pain, with and without comorbid mental illness: A population-based cohort study. Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence for Canadian Veterans (CPCoE). $150,000.
  • Wong JJ (Principal applicant), Côté P, Shearer H, Furlan A. (2024-2025). Long-term trajectories of rehabilitation service utilization in aging Canadians with chronic musculoskeletal disorders: A population-based study. Canadian Chiropractic Research Foundation. $25,000.
  • Wong JJ (Principal applicant), Côté P, Pereira P, Rinaldi J, Mior S. (2024-2025). Access to post-surgical rehabilitation for low back pain. EUROSPINE, €15,000.
  • Agnew-Kata J (Principal applicant), Tukhareli N, Côté P, Wong JJ. (2024-2025). Reading for Healthy Aging: A bibliotherapy-based wellness program for a diverse older adult population. Ontario Seniors Community Grant Program. $25,000.
  • Côté P (Principal applicant), Wong JJ, Shearer H, Eickmeier T, Rinaldi J. (2024-2025). Structural barriers and facilitators to accessing habilitation and rehabilitation among children with cerebral palsy. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Explore Grant. $6,991.
  • Wong JJ (Principal applicant), Côté P, Rinaldi J, Brunton G. Access to rehabilitation care among disabled older adults with musculoskeletal conditions: An investigation of structural barriers. (2023-2024). Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Explore Grant. $5002.
  • Côté P (Principal applicant), Furlan A, Hogg-Johnson S, Macedo L, Mior S, Wang D, Wong JJ. (2021-2023). Impact of COVID-19: Unmet needs for rehabilitation services among Canadians living with long-term conditions or disabilities. Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Operating Grant. $120,042.

Graduate Student Opportunities

For more information please email professor Jessica Wong expressing your interest.

Additional Information

Academic Appointments and Research Affiliations

  • Assistant Professor (status-only), Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto
  • Adjunct Scientist, ICES 澳门六合彩开奖预测

Awards

  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Research Excellence, Diversity, and Independence (REDI) Early Career Transition Award (2023-2029)
  • Postdoctoral Fellow Excellence Award, School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Ontario Tech University (2023)
  • Michael F. Harcourt Policy Fellowship awarded by AGE-WELL (2023-2024)
  • Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship awarded by CIHR (2022-2023)
  • CIHR Fellowship Award (2022; declined – cannot hold more than one Tri-agency fellowship at one time)
  • CIHR Doctoral Award – Frederick Banting and Charles Best Graduate Scholarships (2019-2022)
  • Mary Gertrude l’Anson Scholarship, School of Graduate Studies University-Wide Awards Competition, University of Toronto (2019)
  • Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2018)

Professional Activities

  • Faculty Member, EUROSPINE Diploma in Interprofessional Spine Care (EDISC) and EduWeek
  • Member, Research Committee, Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Ontario Tech University
  • Fellow, College of Chiropractic Sciences (Canada)
  • Member, Society for Epidemiologic Research
  • Member, Canadian Society for Epidemiology and Biostatistics