For Asif Khowaja, the COVID-19 pandemic became a vivid illustration of his research area, which is found at the intersection of health and economics.<\/p>\n
From government spending on testing and vaccines to out-of-pocket health-care expenses incurred by Canadians and the financial impact of wide-spread absences due to illness or regulations, the pandemic cost the economy dearly, says the Brock University Assistant Professor of Health Sciences.<\/p>\n
\u201cDuring the pandemic, Canadians started to see the extent to which health-care decisions affect their everyday lives,\u201d says Khowaja. \u201cUnderstanding the costs and economic impacts of health care is not new, but now we\u2019re realizing the importance of assessing these in every sphere of life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Khowaja\u2019s passion for research, mentoring and forming partnerships in the health-care field has earned him Brock University\u2019s 2023 Award for Early Career Research and Creative Activity<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cDr. Khowaja\u2019s expertise in health economics is a huge asset to an area of remarkable research strength at Brock,\u201d says Vice-President, Research Tim Kenyon. \u201cHis scholarship, community outreach and innovative teaching methods are contributing great knowledge to a subject that is of increasing concern to Canadians.\u201d<\/p>\n Khowaja joined Brock in 2020 after earning his PhD from the University of British Columbia and a postdoctoral fellowship with the British Columbia Patient Safety and Quality Council. His earlier research examined the costs and cost-effectiveness of emerging health technologies for maternal, newborn and child health in several African and Asian countries.<\/p>\n Currently, he studies the broader socio-economic impacts of community-based interventions; health-care costs for patients, caregivers and those in the health-care system; and the economics of maternal, newborn and child health programs in Canada and abroad.<\/p>\n Highlights of Khowaja\u2019s recent research include:<\/p>\n\n