Astrazeneca PhD Nursing Award

When I reflect on why I became a nurse, it wasn’t an intentional choice because I never thought of it as a career option. However, my reluctant decision to study nursing in 2001 has afforded me the opportunity of a beautiful career adventure I never imagined. I obtained a Diploma of Nursing from the Oyo State College of Nursing in 2004, a Bachelor of Nursing Science from the University of Ibadan in 2010, a Master of Nursing from Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia in 2016, and a Master of Public Health from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland in 2021. I feel privileged to have practiced in diverse clinical settings that fostered my interest in research and education. 

I am currently enrolled in the PhD in Public Health Science at the University of Toronto. My research focuses on exploring how social and structural determinants of health, including racism, intersect to shape the experiences and care of Black Canadians with type 2 diabetes with consideration for ethnic diversity within the Black population. There is limited research on Black health in Canada, and available studies often treat Black Canadians as a monolithic group. My study will provide in-depth evidence that enriches understanding the experiences and care of Black people living with type 2 diabetes in navigating health care services to improve the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes in this population. Also, it will provide insights into the development and implementation of equity-informed policies and interventions for combating type 2 diabetes prevalence and improving overall health in Black populations. 

I am thrilled to receive the AstraZeneca Award. My sincere thanks to the Canadian Nurses Foundation for supporting my research.