The iCARE Platform Executive Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 iCARE Summer Scholarship Awards. These scholarships are sponsored by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and the Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Medicine.
The purpose of this scholarship program is to facilitate international collaboration and mentorship of trainees working on iCARE platform survey data. The selected mentorship collaboration will conduct a specific research project that exploits available iCARE platform survey data. Winners are each awarded CAD$5,000 to offset costs of travel and collaborative activities that contribute to the building of a mentor partnership.
The quality of the 2026 applications was excellent, and applicants included individuals at various career stages including undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral scholars.
Tobiloba (Alex) Omotosho
- Home institution: University of British Colombia, Canada
- Mentor/iCARE collaborator: Rubee Dev
- Project title: Influence of COVID-19 vaccine motivators on vaccine intention: a comparative assessment of individuals with and without cardiovascular diseases
Project Outline: Despite cardiovascular diseases (CVD) increasing the likelihood of experiencing severe outcomes and mortality from contracting COVID-19, many remained unvaccinated or partially vaccinated in the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. This project will use data from the iCARE convenience sample to examine what COVID-19 vaccine motivators influence vaccine intention and to determine whether these relationships differ between people with and without CVD. This study has important public health and scientific implications by demonstrating that COVID-19 vaccine motivators may not operate uniformly across populations, but instead vary based on health status such as the presence of CVD. Identifying which government-initiated strategies most strongly predict vaccine intention among individuals with CVD can support the development of targeted, risk-sensitive communication and policy approaches aimed at improving uptake in this high-risk group. Additionally, by clarifying which motivators are most effective overall, the findings can help refine public health interventions to be more efficient and tailored, ultimately contributing to more equitable and effective vaccination strategies during current and future public health emergencies. View the project’s data analysis plan
Christina Bertachas
Home institution: Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada
Mentor/iCARE collaborator: Kim Lavoie
Project title: Sociodemographic Predictors of Intentions to Engage in Socially Responsible Preventive Behaviours When Experiencing Cold/Flu Symptoms since the COVID-19 Pandemic
Project Outline: Engaging in socially responsible preventive behaviours when experiencing cold/flu symptoms plays a key role in mitigating transmission of infectious respiratory viruses. However, intentions may vary across individuals since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study’s objective is to examine the predictors of intentions to engage in PBs if experiencing cold/flu symptoms as a function of sociodemographics in a large Canadian representative sample. Sociodemographic predictors of intentions to engage in mask wearing, self-isolating, and avoiding social gatherings when experiencing cold/flu symptoms will be assessed in 3,006 Canadian adults in the iCARE Study between Jan-Feb 2024 using logistic regression analyses. View the project’s data analysis plan
Andrew McLennan
Home institutions: University of Regina, Canada
Mentor/iCARE collaborator: Mohammad Baydoun
Project title: Examining differences in how Canadians living with and survivors of cancer experienced the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the general population: A comparative analysis of psychosocial outcomes
Project Outline: While the COVID-19 pandemic affected all Canadians, relatively little is known about how Canadians living with cancer experienced its psychological, behavioural, and social impacts compared to the general population. In the proposed research, I aim to examine how Canadians with cancer differed from the general population with respect to their adherence to health safety measures (e.g., hand washing, vaccinations), psychological symptoms (e.g., anxiety, depression, substance use), and general attitudes toward COVID-19 policy decisions. This study will involve a secondary analysis of data from a Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG; SC.27) survey and the Canadian representative iCARE surveys collected between 2020 and 2021. Using comparable measures collected across both surveys, multivariable regression models and group comparison analyses will examine the extent to which Canadians living with cancer differed from the general Canadian population in their health behaviours, psychological functioning, and COVID-19-related attitudes. By addressing this knowledge gap, I hope to generate evidence that supports more responsive public health policies and targeted psychosocial service delivery for Canadians living with cancer during future health crises. View the project’s data analysis plan
Valeria Jaramillo Giraldo
Home institution: Universidad EAFIT, Colombia
Mentor/iCARE collaborator: Mariantonia Lemos
Project title: Information Sources, Trust and Perception of Government Measures in the Adoption of Protective Behaviors During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Colombia
Project Outline: The COVID-19 pandemic unfolded in a context of high uncertainty and information overload, in which exposure to different information sources shaped the perceptions, attitudes, and preventive behaviors of the Colombian population. This study aims to analyze the relationship between the consumption of and trust in different information sources and the evaluation and adoption of government preventive measures during the COVID-19 pandemic in Colombia, using data from the iCARE project collected across two periods in 2020. Through a quantitative approach, both periods are analyzed independently to estimate the likelihood of adopting protective behaviors according to the type of source consumed and the level of trust reported, while also exploring possible continuities and changes in the information environment over time. This study seeks to generate evidence to strengthen the design of more effective communication strategies that contribute to mitigating the effects of misinformation and improving the adoption of protective behaviors in future health emergencies in Colombia. View the project’s data analysis plan
Sohana Sadique
Home institution: University of Saskatchewan, Canada
Mentor/iCARE collaborator: Nazeem Muhajarine
Project title: Epistemic Trust and Vaccine Hesitancy During COVID-19 in Canada: A Mixed-Methods Study
Project Outline: This project aims to integrate national survey data from the iCARE study with qualitative interview data from the Trust Dynamics and Equity in Public Health in Canada project to examine how different patterns of epistemic trust shaped Canadians’ COVID-19 vaccine decisions. Drawing on epistemic trust theory, the study conceptualizes trust not as a single continuum but as distinct orientations; trust, mistrust, and credulity that influence how individuals evaluate health information and respond to misinformation. It hypothesizes that individuals with higher epistemic trust will be more likely to accept vaccines and booster doses, while those characterized by mistrust or credulity particularly the latter, marked by greater susceptibility to misinformation and will show lower uptake. These findings will be interpreted alongside qualitative accounts to assess how individuals’ lived experiences of trust and information use align with, or diverge from, the identified profiles. This integrative approach will generate a more comprehensive understanding of how trust dynamics shape vaccine behaviour and provide actionable insights for improving public health communication in future health emergencies. View the project’s data analysis plan
Shrivalli Penumerthy
Home institution: University of Galway, Ireland
Mentor/iCARE collaborator: Gerry Molloy
Project title: The Impact of Socioeconomic Status on Trust in Health Information
Project Outline: This project investigates how socioeconomic status influences trust in health information in Ireland using data from the iCARE ( (International COVID-19 Awareness and Responses Evaluation) study. Public trust in healthcare professionals, scientists, World Health Organization, and public health authorities play a role in shaping engagement with health information and health behaviors. We focused on whether trust varies according to specific socioeconomic indicators such as educational attainment, household income, and occupation category. The findings will contribute to a better understanding of socioeconomic inequalities in relation to trust and its potential implications on public health communication and overall community health. View the project’s data analysis plan
