Tobacco epidemiology: patterns of use, attitudes, knowledge
Health effects of tobacco use
Environmental tobacco smoke
Tobacco policy
Role of health professionals in addictions
Evaluation of tobacco control policy
Primary Teaching Responsibilities
Co-teach Tobacco and Health, from Cells to Society CHL5417F
Honours & Awards
Current Research Projects
2004-2007 – National Cancer Institute of Canada Grant # 014072. Reducing Smoking in Outdoor Public Places: An Environmental Design Approach. Roberta Ferrence (PI), Pam Kaufman, Joanna Cohen, Nathan Perkins (Co-investigators) September, 2004 – February, 2007. $150,081.
2002-08 – Canadian Institutes for Health Research. Tobacco Training Grant. Roy Cameron PI, Roberta Ferrence, Chris Lovato, Paul McDonald, co-investigators. $300,000 for 6 years. March 1, 2002 – February 28, 2008.
2005-2006 – Ontario Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care, Ontario Tobacco Research Unit, July 1, 2005 – June 30, 2006. Grant #04920E. Irving Rootman PI, Roberta Ferrence, PI, Susan Bondy, Steven Brown, Joanna Cohen, Paul McDonald, Peter Selby, Tom Stephens (Co-PIs). $400,000.
2005-2006 – Ontario Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care. A Performance Evaluation Strategy for the Expanded Ontario Tobacco Strategy. Grant #04920H. Roberta Ferrence (PI), Susan Bondy, Steven Brown, Joanna Cohen, Paul McDonald, Peter Selby, Tom Stephens (Co-PIs). April 1, 2005 to March 31, 2006. $1,600,000.
2005-2006 – Ontario Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care. Evaluation Research in Support of the Expanded Ontario Tobacco Strategy. Grant #04920G. Roberta Ferrence (PI), Susan Bondy, Steven Brown, Joanna Cohen, Paul McDonald, Peter Selby, Tom Stephens (Co-PIs). April 1, 2005 to March 31, 2006. $600,000.
2005-2006 – Canadian Tobacco Control Research Initiative. The Social Context of Smoking: Laying the Conceptual and Empirical Foundation for a Theoretical Toolkit in Tobacco Research. K Frohlich, B Poland (Co PIs), P McDonald, C Lovato, R Ferrence, L Greaves and J Johnson. March 2004 to February 2005 $50,000.
Representative Publications
Ferrence RG , Truscott S, and Whitehead PC. Drinking and the prevention of coronary heart disease: findings, issues and public health policy. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 1986; 47:394-408.
Ferrence RG. Sex differences in cigarette smoking in Canada, 1900-1978: a reconstructed cohort study. Canadian Journal of Public Health 1988; 79:160-165.
Ferrence RG. Deadly Fashion: The Rise and Fall of Cigarette Smoking in North America. New York: Garland Press, 1990.
Ferrence RG. Diffusion of innovation as a model for understanding population change in substance use. Ch. 10 in G. Edwards and M Lader (Eds.) Addiction: Processes of Change. London: Oxford University Press, 1994.
Ashley MJ and Ferrence RG. Reducing children’s exposure to Environmental Tobacco smoke in homes: issues and strategies. Tobacco Control 1998; 7:61-65.
Ferrence RG, Slade J, Room R, Pope MA. (Eds.) Nicotine and Public Health. American Public Health Association 2000.
Ferrence R and Ashley MJ. Editorial. Protecting children from passive smoking: The risks are clear and a comprehensive strategy is now needed. British Medical Journal 2000: 321: 310-311.
Ferrence R, Ashley MJ, Cohen J, Stephens T. Commentary. Tobacco industry litigation and the role of government: a public health perspective. Canadian Journal of Public Health 92(2):89/112 2001