Tell us about yourself in a paragraph or two: What is your name, and what are you studying? Where are you from? What was your dream job as a kid? What’s your favourite thing to do outside of school/work?
My name is Ji Won (Melissa) Kang, and I am a PhD candidate in the School of Public Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo. My research focuses on epidemiology, aging, cognitive health, and the social determinants of health. Growing up, I always wanted to work in the health field, though it took some time to figure out the exact path. Along the way, I’ve studied life/medical sciences at the University of Toronto, rehabilitation/occupational sciences at Western University, and public health sciences at the University of Waterloo. I have done both quantitative and qualitative research and worked in molecular/cell biology wet labs. I have also worked with youth and geriatric populations in mental health facilities, long-term care homes, and rehabilitation centers. Through this multidisciplinary journey, I have come to realize that my true passion lies in epidemiology. I am from London, Ontario, and I love interior designing, hiking, thrifting at antique stores, and spending time with my cat, Yoru.
What interested you about the CLSA?
I appreciate that the CLSA is a nationwide, ongoing database that tracks thousands of Canadians over multiple time points. This setup allows me to conduct longitudinal regression analyses and examine changes in various exposure and outcome variables. The CLSA offers a much larger sample size than I could gather on my own, with a diverse array of biomarkers analyzed, which provides me with a wealth of options for selecting covariates to analyze.
What type of research are you doing with CLSA data? Have you published? If so, what are the findings (in lay terms)?
I have conducted a sequential explanatory mixed-methods study that examines how different combinations of social isolation and loneliness (i.e neither isolated nor lonely, only socially isolated, only lonely, both isolated and lonely), affect memory in middle-aged and older adults. The quantitative part of this research has been published in the Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics. In this study, I defined social isolation and loneliness as related but distinct concepts: social isolation occurs when one objectively has few social connections (e.g., small social network, infrequent social activities, not being married, being retired, living alone), while loneliness is the subjective feeling that your social relationships are lacking. The main finding was that people who were both socially isolated and lonely experienced the greatest decline in memory, followed by those who were only lonely, and then by those who were only socially isolated. This suggests that loneliness has a more significant impact on memory than social isolation alone, so it’s important to pay attention to how you’re feeling to protect your memory.
What is the most interesting or surprising thing you’ve learned from your work with the CLSA? How do you think the CLSA will help you grow as a student or in your future?
It has been very exciting to see how my research on social isolation and loneliness resonates with so many people. Since its publication, my work has been highlighted in Newsweek, CNBC, EurekAlert!, and on the CLSA and the University of Waterloo news websites. I have also had interviews with reporters from the Canadian Press and the Waterloo Region Record, with articles coming soon. I am thrilled to see that my findings are connecting with a global audience.
Working with the CLSA data has been a great opportunity for me to hone my skills in statistical software like SAS and R. I have tackled various analyses, including linear regression models, linear mixed-effects models, diagnostic models, attrition bias analyses, transitional probability analyses, and univariate/bivariate/multivariate analyses, using complete-case data, all-available data, and multiple-imputed datasets.
How do you think the findings using CLSA data will be useful to you, or others, in the future?
My findings could potentially help improve policies and interventions designed to boost cognitive health and tackle social isolation and loneliness. This might mean developing more targeted approaches that address the different risk factors leading to social isolation and loneliness, rather than just focusing on increasing the frequency of social interactions. For example, it could involve offering counseling for people struggling with their marriage, providing peer support for those who are isolated and lonely due to chronic conditions or caregiver stress, or helping those dealing with bereavement.
Do you have any idea about what kind of job you’d like to do when you finish school?
I would like to become an epidemiologist and continue analyzing broad health trends across populations. I also want to get involved in designing epidemiologic surveillance systems and surveys and evaluating existing health programs and research to identify areas for improvement.
What is a non-career related thing that you are grateful for because of your work with the CLSA?
Working with the CLSA data provided me with the flexibility to work remotely, allowing me to spend more time with family and friends, which I deeply appreciate. During the second qualitative phase of my research, I conducted interviews with individuals from diverse demographic backgrounds. This experience enhanced my conversational skills and my ability to navigate various perspectives. Additionally, I acquired a great deal of new knowledge on data visualization and reporting, as well as statistical and epidemiological concepts, which not only boosted my self-confidence but also reinforced the belief that you can achieve a lot if you set your mind to it.
