Dr. Sylvia Abonyi BSc (Hon), M.A., PhD

I am the Canadian-born daughter of an immigrant and refugee, a wife, and the mother of two.  As an educator, health researcher, and citizen in Canada, I teach, learn, work, and live on traditional Indigenous territories that include treaty lands, unceded lands, and Métis homelands. I pay my respects to the First Nation, Métis, and Inuit ancestors.

Trained as an anthropologist, I conduct community engaged research with First Nation and Métis communities and peoples, primarily from northern Saskatchewan. Recent studies focus on healthy aging in place, tuberculosis, sleep health, as well as heart and lung health. Together with Indigenous community partners, I am also part of national and provincial teams revealing experiences of covid-19.

In addition to my position in the department I am research faculty with the Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit (www.SPHERU.ca), an interdisciplinary group of researchers from the Universities of Saskatchewan and Regina whose collective focus is on advancing health equity through the creation of new knowledge, independent policy analysis, and collaborative research with policy makers and communities. 

• Gao Y, Abonyi S, Downe P, Baerg K, Ward HA. Patient and family engagement: Bridging together interprofessional practice and patient- and family-centred care. Patient Experience Journal. 2022; 9(1):54-61. doi: 10.35680/2372-0247.1580.
• Oosman SN, S Abonyi, TJ Roy, L Durocher. (2022). Oskayak Miyoyawin (Youth Wellness)~ Métis Youth Perspectives on Intergenerational Wellness Reflected through a Research Project Logo. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships 20(1):127-133.
• Oosman, S., C. Nisbet, L. Smith, S. Abonyi. (2021). Health promotion interventions supporting Indigenous healthy ageing: A scoping review. International Journal of Circumpolar Health 80(1):1950391 https://doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2021.1950391
• Hackett, P., S. Abonyi, R. Engler-Stringer. 2021/3. Revealing circumstances of epidemiologic transition among Indigenous peoples: The case of the Keg River (Alberta) Métis. Canadian Geographer 65(1):50-65. https://doi.org/10.1111/cag.12651
• Smith, L., S. Abonyi, L. Durocher, TJ Roy, S. Oosman. (2020), Mâmawi-atoskêwin “Working Together in Partnership” ~ Challenging Eurocentric Physical Therapy Practice Guided by Indigenous Métis Worldview and Knowledge. Chapter 8. In Mobilizing knowledge: Critical reflections on the foundations and practice of physiotherapy. Routledge Press.
• Anand, SS, S Abonyi, L. Arbour, K. Balasubramanian, J. Brook, H. Castleden, V. Chrisjohn, I Cornelius, AD Davis, D Desai, J de Souza, MG Friederich, S. Harris, J Irvine, J. L’Hommecourt, R. Littlechild, L Mayotte, S McIntosh, J Morrision, RT Oster, M Picard, Pictou Landing First Nation, P Poirer, KM Schulze, EL Toth. 2019. Explaining the variability in cardiovascular risk factors among First Nations communities in Canada: a population-based study. The Lancet Planetary Health 3(12):e511-e520. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(19)30237-2
• Anand, S., Abonyi, S. Arbour, L., Brook, J., Bruce, S., Castleden, H., Desai, D.,…Tu, J.V. Canadian Alliance for Healthy Hearts and Minds: First Nations cohort study rationale and design. Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action. 2018 Spring 12(1):55-64. DOI https://doi.org/10.1353/cpr.2018.0006
• Bacsu J, Abonyi S, Viger M, Morgan D, Johnson S, Jeffery B. Examining Rural Older Adults' Perceptions of Cognitive Health. Canadian Journal on Aging. 2017 Sep;36(3):318-327. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0714980817000150
• Katapally T, Abonyi S, Episkenew J-A, Ramsden VR, Kanunanayake C, Kirychuk S, Rennie D, Dosman J, Pahwa P. Catalyzing Action on First Nations Respiratory Health Using Community-Based Participatory Research: Integrated Knowledge Translation through Strategic Symposia. Engaged Scholar. 2017 Jul;2(1):57-60. Epub 2017 Jul. http://dx.doi.org/10.15402/esj.v2i1.198
• Abonyi S, Mayan M, Boffa J. “Finally when I started falling down”: Indigenous TB Patient Experiences of Health and Illness on the Canadian Prairies. International Journal of Indigenous Health. 2017 Jun;12(1):2-23. Epub 2017 Jun. http://dx.doi.org/10.18357/ijih112201716900.
• Marchildon GP, Beck CA, Rennie DC, Katapally TR, Abonyi S, Dosman JA, Episkenew J-A. Bifurcation of Health Policy Regimes: A Study of Sleep Apnea Care and Benefits Coverage in Saskatchewan. Healthcare Policy. 2017 May;12(4):69-85. Epub 2017 May. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5473476/
• Abonyi S, Hackett P, Dyck R. Reflections on ethical challenges encountered in Indigenous health research using archival records. International Journal of Circumpolar Health. 2016 Jun 27;75(32592). http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v75.32592
• Hackett P, Abonyi S, Dyck RF. Anthropometric Indices of First Nations Children and Youth on First Entry to Manitoba/Saskatchewan Residential Schools - 1919 to 1953. International Journal of Circumpolar Health. 2016 Jun 27;75(30734). http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v75.30734