Holly Mathias, MA, PhD

Area of Study / Keywords

Families; Caregiving; Substance Use; Rural Communities; Public Health

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About

Dr. Holly Mathias (she/her) is Assistant Professor of Family Science in the Department of Human Ecology at the University of Alberta and Research Scientist with the Inner City Health and Wellness Program (Royal Alexandra Hospital). Dr. Mathias holds a PhD in Public Health (UAlberta), MA in Health Promotion and Certificate in University Teaching and Learning(Dalhousie), and BA Honours in Global Development Studies and English Literature (Queen’s). 

Dr. Mathias's program of research explores how contemporary Canadian families experience emerging health and social issues (e.g., toxic drug crisis, housing insecurity) through community-based research methods, and critically examines family-oriented policy and program interventions. She enjoys working collaboratively with knowledge users and people with lived/living experience to generate policy- and community-relevant data.

Her most recent community-based research explored the experiences of unpaid family caregivers for people who use drugs in rural Canada, in collaboration with Moms Stop the Harm, RECLAIM Collective, and Manitoba Harm Reduction Network. This work was well awarded with Vanier, Killam, and Pierre Elliott Trudeau doctoral scholarships. Future research will continue to examine topics related to families, substance use, and care. 

Dr. Mathias also regularly collaborates on research and supports students with interests related to caregiving, rural health, substance use, access to services, health and social policy, and determinants of health.

HECOL 682 - Program Planning and Evaluation

Theories, approaches, and processes fundamental to the development, implementation, and evaluation of programs that effect change and build capacity in families, communities and organizations.

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Browse more courses taught by Holly Mathias

Holly Mathias, Sarah Auger, Tristan Dreilich, Elsie Duff, Antoinette Gravel-Ouellete, Rebecca Haines-Saah, Teresa Lockhart, Willi McCorriston, Jenn McCrindle, Nyal Mirza, Em Pijl, Tyla Savard, Petra Schulz, Krista Tooley, Elaine Hyshka

2026 January;

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Holly Mathias, Nicole D. Gehring, R. Marcus Hammond, Javiera Navarrete, Jean-François Crépault, Brian Emerson, Anna Markov, Brynn Kosteniuk, Kelsey Speed, Ethan Candler, Garrison Dyck, Lexis R. Galarneau, Tariq Issa, Juan Carlos Ocampo Alvarado, Sandra Campbell & Elaine Hyshka

BMC Public Health. 2025 December; 10.1186/s12889-025-25402-4

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Holly Mathias, Elsie Duff, Petra Schulz, Sarah Auger, Antoinette Gravel-Ouellette, Teresa Lockhart, Willi McCorriston, Jenn McCrindle, Nyal Mirza, Em Pijl, Tyla Savard, Elaine Hyshka

Harm Reduction Journal. 2025 May; 10.1186/s12954-025-01247-3

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Holly Mathias, Sarah Auger, Petra Schulz, Elaine Hyshka

Substance Use & Misuse. 2024 November; 10.1080/10826084.2024.2431042

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Holly Mathias, Lesley Ann Foster, Ashleigh Rushton

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. 2024 January; 10.1186/s12884-023-06225-w

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Lois A. Jackson, Holly Mathias, Fiona Martin, Jane A. Buxton, Anik Dubé, Niki Kiepek, Jo-Ann MacDonald, Carol Strike

Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy. 2023 November; 10.1080/09687637.2022.2102461

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