William Pickett, PhD

Professor

William Pickett PhD

905 688 5550 x4613

wpickett@brocku.ca

CV

Dr. Pickett is a new faculty member at Brock University.  He is trained as an epidemiologist, and has longstanding interests in the health of children, rural and agricultural health, violence and injury prevention, and determinants of health.  He has supervised approximately 100 students and trainees to the completion of degree requirements and has taught epidemiological methods at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Dr. Pickett holds grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Public Health Agency of Canada, and is a lead investigator in the Canadian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Study. 

Research Interests

  • The health of child populations 
  • The health of rural and agricultural populations 
  • The epidemiology of violence and injury 
  • Determinants of health 

Professional affiliations and accreditation/certification

  • Former Professor and Head of Public Health Sciences, Queen’s University 
  • PhD (Toronto) in Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, 1995 

Publications

  1. Craig W, Pickett W, King M (2020). The health and wellbeing of Canadian adolescents: findings from the 2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada, 154p; 2020 (ISBN: 978-0-660-34260-3; Cat no: HP10-35/2020E-PDF, Publication Number:  190630). 
  2. Michaelson V, King N, Pickett W. “Holistic Health in Canadian Children:  Conceptualization, Assessment and Potential.” Springer Briefs in Well-being and Quality of Life Research. 2017 (ISSN 2211-7644, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-64831-6). 
  3. Freeman J, King M, Pickett W (2016).  Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children in Canada: Focus on Relationships.  Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada, 194p; 2015 (ISBN 978-0-660-03890-2; Cat no: HP35-65/2106E, Publication Number: 150150).  
  4. Elgar FJ, Pickett W, Pförtner T-K, Gordon D, MacNeil A, Gariepy G, Georgiades K, Azevedo Da Silva M, Hammami N, Ramiro Melgar-Quiñonez H. Relative food insecurity, state fragility, and youth mental health in 159 countries. Soc Sci Med. Revisions requested September 2020 (Contributing Author). 
  5. Shaver N, Pickett W, Whitehead R, Michaelson V, Brooks F, Inchley J for the HBSC Spiritual Health Writing Group. Structural validity of a brief scale adapted to measure adolescent spiritual health. SSM Population Health In press (Contributing Author; Submited August 2020). 
  6. Gazendam N, Cleverley K, King N, Pickett W, Phillips S. Individual and social determinants of early sexual activity: a study of gender-based differences using the 2018 Canadian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Study (HBSC). PLoS One PLoS One. 2020 Sep 3;15(9):e0238515. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238515. (Contributing Author). 
  7. Voaklander DC, Rudolphi J, Berg R, Drul C, Belton K, Pickett W.  Fatal farm injuries to children in Canada. Preventive Medicine. 2020 Aug 12:106233. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2020.106233. [EPub ahead of print] (Senior Author).  
  8. Hatala A, Michaelson V, McGavock J, Pickett W. Low risks for spiritual highs: risk-taking behaviours and the protective benefits of spiritual health among Saskatchewan adolescents. Paediatrics Child Health. 2020 [EPub ahead of print] pxaa007, https://doi.org/10.1093/pch/pxaa007. (Contributing Author). 
  9. Craig W, Boniel-Nissim M, King N, Walsh SD, Boer M, Donnelly PD, Harel-Fisch Y, Malinowska-Cieslik M, Gaspar de Matos M, Cosma A, Vandeneijnden R, Vieno A, Elgar F, Molcho M, Bjereld Y, Pickett W.  Social media use and cyber-bullying: a cross-national analysis of young people in 42 countries. J Adolesc Health. 2020 Jun;66(6S):S100-S108. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.03.006. (Senior Author). 
  10. Walsh SD, Sela T, deLooze M, Craig W, Cosma A, Harel-Fisch Y, Boniel-Nissim M, Malinowska-Cieslik M, Vieno A, Molcho M, Ng K, Pickett W. Clusters of Contemporary Risk and their Relationship to Mental Health among 15-year old Adolescents across 37 Countries. J Adolesc Health. 2020 Jun;66(6S):S40-S49. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth. 2020.02.012. (Senior Author).  
  11. Kelly C, Branquinho C, Dzielska A, Melkumova M, Pavlova D, Pickett W nic Gabhainn S. Youth Participation in the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. J Adolesc Health. J Adolesc Health. 2020 Jun;66(6S):S6-S8. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.03.015. (Contributing author).  
  12. Michaelson V, Swinton J, King N, Pickett W.  The role of church or religious involvement in self-perceived spiritual health: a quantitative study of Canadian children with disabilities. Journal of Disability & Religion, 2020; DOI: 10.1080/23312521.2020.1743222 [EPub ahead of print] (Senior author). 
  13. Duffy A, Keown-Stoneman C, Goodday S, Horrocks J, Lowe M, King N, Pickett W, McNevin S, Harkness K, Cunningham S, Rivera D, Saunders K, Bisdounis L.  Modifiable predictors of mental health and school-related outcomes in first year university students: Implications for university student mental health policy and service development. BJPsych Open; 2020; 6, e46, 1–8. doi: 10.1192/bjo.2020.24 (Contributing Author). 
  14. Jirasek I, Badura P, King N, Pickett W, Michaelson V.  Distinguishing between spirituality and religiosity as determinants of adolescent health. Health Prom Int. 2020 May 14. pii: daaa046. doi: 10.1093/heapro/daaa046. [Epub ahead of print] (Contributing Author). 
  15. King N, Pickett W, NcNevin SH, Bowie CR, Riviera D, Keown-Stoneman C, Harkness K, Cunningham S, Milanovic M, Saunders KEA, Gooday S, Duffy A. Mental health needs of students entering university: Initial findings from the Queen’s University-based U-Flourish Student Well-Being Study Early Interv Psychiatry 2020; 1-10; doi: 10.1111/eip.12939 [E-Pub Ahead of Print] (Contributing author). 
  16. Michaelson V, King N, Janssen I, Lawal S, Pickett W. Electronic screen technology use and connection to nature in Canadian adolescents: A mixed methods study. Can J Public Health. 2020; 111 (4): 502-14, DOI 10.17269/s41997-019-00289-y. (Senior Author). 
  17. Cosma A, Walsh S, Chester KL, Callaghan M, Molcho M, Craig W, Pickett W. Time trends in bullying victimization (2002-2014) and the evolving role of cyber-victimization. Int J Public Health. 2020; 65 (1); 75-85. doi: 10.1007/s00038-019-01320-2. (Senior Author). 
  18. Voaklander DC, Norman P, Dosman JA, Day A, Brison RJ, Koehncke N, Pickett W. Determinants of injury among older Saskatchewan farm operators: A prospective cohort study. Am J Ind Med.2019;1–9. ttps://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.23052 (Senior Author) . 
  19. Goodday SM, Rivera E ,Tetzlaff E, Bowie C, Pickett W, Harkness K, Saunders K, Duffy A. U-Flourish university students well-being and academic success longitudinal study: a study protocol. BMJ Open. 2019 Aug 26;9(8):e029854. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-029854. (Contributing Author).  
  20. Favotto L, Michaelson V, Pickett W, Davison C.  The role of family and computer-mediated communication in adolescent loneliness. PLoS One. 2019 Jun 5;14(6):e0214617. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0214617. eCollection 2019 (Contributing Author). 
  21. Pickett W, Berg RL, Kaprelian J, Marlenga B. A Contemporary Profile of the Mental Health of Girls from Farm and Non-Farm Environments, J Agromedicine. 2019 May 30:1-10. doi: 10.1080/1059924X.2019.1623142. [Epub ahead of print] (Primary Author) 
  22. Michaelson V, Inchley J, King N, Currie D, Brooks F, Pickett W. Domains of spirituality and their associations with low subjective health complaints: a study of adolescents in Canada, England and Scotland. Prev Med. 2019 May 5. pii: S0091-7435(19)30151-3. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2019.04.018. [Epub ahead of print  (Senior Author). 
  23. Ng K, Pickett W, Michaelson V, Freeman J. Activity Involvement and Spiritual Health in Children with ADHD and Learning Disabilities. J Disability & Religion, 2019; 23:1, 1-19, DOI: 10.1080/23312521.2018.1467294 (Contributing Author). 
  24. Spagnuolo C, McIsaac M, Pickett W.  Distance to specialist care, diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea and injury in rural Saskatchewan. Can Respir J. 2019 Jan 14;2019:1683124.(Senior Author) 
  25. Bielska IA, Brison R, Brouwer B, Janssen I, Johnson AP, Day AG, Pickett W. Is recovery from ankle sprains negatively associated with obesity?.  Ann Phys Rehabil Med. 2019 Jan;62(1):8-13. doi: 10.1016/j.rehab.2018.08.006. Epub 2018 Oct 2. (Senior Author). 
  26. Phillips SP, King N, Michaelson VE, Pickett W. Sex, Drugs, Risk and Resilience.  Eur J Public Health. Eur J Public Health. 2019 Feb 1;29(1):38-43. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/cky169. (Senior Author). 
  27. Janssen I, Berg R, Marlenga B, Pickett W.  Sleep in farm adolescents. J Rural Health [brief report] 2019; 35 436–44; doi: 10.1111/jrh.12341  (Senior Author). 
  28. Vafaei A, Pickett W, Zunaunegui MV, Albarado BE. Relationships between neighbourhood social capital and the occurrence of falls in Canadian older adults: a multi-level analysis. J Aging Health. 2018  30(7) 1108–1135 Contributing author). 
  29. Elgar F, Donnelly P, Michaelson V, Gariépy G, Riehm KE, Walsh S, Pickett W. Corporal punishment bans and physical fighting in adolescents in 88 countries and regions: an ecological study. BMJ Open. 2018 Doi.10.1136/bmjopen-2018-021616 (Senior Author). 
  30. Elliot V, Cammer A, Pickett W, Marlenga B, Dosman J, Hagel L, Lawson J, Koehncke N, Trask C. Towards a deeper understanding of parenting on farms: a qualitative study.  PLOS One. PLoS One. 2018 Jun 13;13(6):e0198796. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0198796. eCollection 2018. (Contributing Author). 
  31. Michaelson V, Pickett W, Davison C. The History and Promise of Holism in Health Promotion. Health Promotion International. Health Promot Int. 2018 Jun 11. doi: 10.1093/heapro/day039. [Epub ahead of print] (Contributing Author).  
  32. Michaelson V, Donnelly P, Morrow W, King N, Craig W, Pickett W.  Violence, adolescence, and Canadian religious communities. J Interpers Violence. 2018 May 1:886260518775160. doi: 10.1177/0886260518775160. [Epub ahead of print (Senior Author) 
  33. Ng K, Pickett W, Michaelson V, Freeman J.  Activity Involvement and Spiritual Health in Children with ADHD and Learning Disabilities. J Religion Disability Health. 2018; Epub ahead of print, https://doi.org/10.1080/23312521.2018.1467294 (Contributing Author). 
  34. Piccininni C, Michaelson V, Janssen I, Pickett W. Outdoor play and nature connectedness as potential correlates of internalized mental health symptoms among Canadian adolescent. Prev Med. 2018 Apr 18. pii: S0091-7435(18)30131-2. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2018.04.020. [Epub ahead of print] (Senior Author). 
  35. Marlenga B, Schwebel D, Pickett W, Brown T, Berg R. Using simulation to understand and prevent youth tractor injury. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 48, 28-37, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2017.04.021 (Contributing author). 
  36. Pickett W, King N, Marlenga B, Lawson J, Hagel L, Dosman J for the Saskatchewan Farm Injury Cohort Study Team. Exposure to agricultural hazards among children who visit farms. Paediatrics Child Health. 2018; 23(7); 1-7 doi: 10.1093/pch/pxy015 (Lead Author). 
  37. Marlenga B, Berg RL, Pickett W. National Public Health Data Systems in the United States: Applications to Child Agricultural Injury Surveillance. J Rural Health. 2018 Jan 19. doi: 10.1111/jrh.12292. [Epub ahead of print] (contributing author). 
  38. Brooks F, Michaelson V, King N, Inchley J, Pickett W for the HBSC Child Spiritual Health Writing Group.  Spirituality as a Protective Health Asset for Young People: An International Comparative Analysis From 3 Countries. Int J Public Health. 2018 Jan 13. doi: 10.1007/s00038-017-1070-6. [Epub ahead of print] (Senior author).  
  39. Chzhen Y, Moor I, Pickett W, Toczydlowska E, Stephens G.  Family affluence and inequality in adolescent health and life satisfaction: evidence from the HBSC study 2002-2014. Eur J Public Health 2018; doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckx237 (Contributing author). 
  40. Kwong J, Klinger D, Janssen I, Pickett W.  Derivation of some contemporary scales to measure adolescent risk-taking in Canada. Int J Public Health. 2018 Jan;63(1):137-147. doi: 10.1007/s00038-017-1046-6. (Senior Author). 
  41. Elliot V, Hagel L, Rana M, Lawson J, Trask C, Dosman J, Marlenga B, Pickett W.  Resilience of Farm Women Working the Third Shift.  J Agromedicine. 2018;23(1):70-77. doi: 10.1080/1059924X.2017.1384421.  (senior author). 
  42. Pahwa P,  Rana M, Pickett W, Karunanayak CP, Amin K, Rennie D, Lawson J, Kirychuk S, Janzen B, Koehncke N, Dosman J. Cohort Profile: The Saskatchewan Rural Health Study – Adult Component. BMC Research Notes 2017; 10:732 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-017-3047-1 (Contributing Author). 
  43. Pickett W, Marlenga B, Berg RL.  Health and well-being among young people from Canadian farms:  associations with a culture of risk-taking. J Rural Health. 2017 Oct 23. doi: 10.1111/jrh.12281. [Epub ahead of print] (Lead Author)  
  44. Boyes R, O’Sullivan DE, Linden B, McIsaac M, Pickett W. Gender-specific associations between involvement in team sport culture and adolescents substance-use behavior. SSM Population Health. 2017, 3:663-73 (Senior Author). 
  45. Marlenga B, King N, Pickett W, Lawson J, Hagel L, Dosman J for the Saskatchewan Farm Injury Cohort Study Team. Sleep patterns and their effects on child farm injury. Paediatrics Child Health; 2017; 22(4); 211–216, https://doi.org/10.1093/pch/pxx070 (contributing author). 
  46. Pickett W, Berg RL, Marlenga B. Social environments, risk-taking and injury in farm adolescents. Inj Prev, Inj Prev. 2017 Jan 30. doi: 10.1136/injuryprev-2016-042075. [Epub ahead of print] (senior author). 
  47. Janzen B, Karunanayake C, Rennie D, Pickett W, Lawson J, Kirychuk S, Hagel L, Senthilselvan A, Koehncke N, Dosman J, Pahwa P; Saskatchewan Rural Health Study Team. Gender Differences in the Association of Individual and Contextual Exposures with Lung Function in a Rural Canadian Population. Lung. 2017 Feb;195(1):43-52. doi: 10.1007/s00408-016-9950-8. Epub 2016 Oct 13 (contributing author). 
  48. Worthington H, Pickett W, Morrison LJ, Scales D, Zhan C, Lin S, et al. The impact of institutional experience with out-of-hospital arrest on the quality of post-arrest care. Resuscitation. 2017 Jan;110:169-175. doi: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2016.08.032. Epub 2016 Sep 20. (contributing author). 
  49. Michaelson V, Trothen T, Ascough H, Pickett W.  Spiritual health in Canadian children. J Pastoral Care Counselling. 2016, Vol. 70(4) 244–256 (senior author). 
  50. Michaelson V, Davison C, King N, Trothen T, Freeman J, Phillips S, Pickett W.  Inequalities in spiritual health in young Canadians. BMC Public Health, 2016; 16:1200 DOI 10.1186/s12889-016-3834-y (Senior author) 
  51. Brison RJ, Pelland L, Day A, Pickett W, Johnson A, Aiken A, Pichora DR, Brouwer B.  Effect of early supervised physical therapy on recovery from acute ankle sprain: a randomized controlled trial. BMJ. 2016 Nov 16;355:i5650. doi: 10.1136/bmj.i5650. (contributing author). 
  52. Michaelson V, Pickett W, Vandermeer E, Taylor B, Davison CM.  A mixed methods study of Canadian adolescents’ perceptions of health. Int Qualitative Stud Health Well-being 2016 Jan;11(1):32891. doi: 10.3402/qhw.v11.32891 (contributing author). 
  53. Michaelson V, Trothen T, Craig W, Davison C, Pickett W. Bodies and behaviours: a study of body image in adolescent girls and the Canadian Church. Practical Theology, 2016; EPub ahead of print: 1-17 (senior author). 
  54. Kukaswadia A, Janssen I, Pickett W, Bajwa J, Georgiades K, Lalonde RN, Quon EC, Safdar EC, Pike I. Development and validation of the bicultural youth acculturation questionnaire. PLoS One. 2016 Aug 24;11(8):e0161048. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161048. eCollection (contributing author). 
  55. King N, Pickett W, Hagel L, Dosman JA, Janssen I for the Saskatchewan Farm Injury Cohort Study Team.  Identifying and mitigating risks for agricultural injury associated with obesity. Prev Med Rep. 2016 Jun 7;4:220-4.  (contributing author).  
  56. Vafaei A, Pickett W, Zunzunnegui MV, Alvarado BE. Neighbourhood build and social environmental factors and falls in community-dwelling Canadian Older Adults:  a validation study and exploration of structural confounding. SSM Population Health 2016; 2:468-75 (Senior author). 
  57. Michaelson V, Pickett W, King N, Davison CM.  Testing the theory of holism empirically: a study of family systems and adolescent health. Prev Med Rep 2016; Epub doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2016.07.002 (co-primary author). 
  58. Pulver A, Davison C, Parpia A, Purkey E, Pickett W. Nonmedical use of prescription opioids and injury risk among youth. J Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse 2016 Epub DOI: 10.1080/1067828X.2015.1115795  (contributing author). 
  59. Michaelson V, Brooks F, Jirasek I, Inchley J, Whitehead R, King N, Walsh S, Davison C, Mazur J, Pickett W for the HBSC Child Spiritual Health Writing Group. Developmental patterns of adolescent spiritual health in six countries. SSM Population Health 2016; 2:294-303. (Senior author). 
  60. Hagel L, King N, Dosman JA, Lawson J, Trask C, Pickett W for the Saskatchewan Farm Injury Cohort Study Team. Profiling the safety environment on Saskatchewan farms. Safety Science 2016; 82:103-10 (senior author). 

Teaching

  • Research Methods in Health 
  • Research Methods in Epidemiology 
  • Modern Epidemiology (Masters of Public Health) 

Appointments

Professor (Adjunct) of Public Health Sciences, Queen’s University

Professor (Adjunct), College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan