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Ontario Tech acknowledges the lands and people of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

Learn more about Indigenous Education and Cultural Services

Jennifer Abbass Dick's photo

Jennifer Abbass Dick
PhD

Associate Professor

Faculty of Health Sciences

Contact information

Shawenjigewining Hall - Room 457
North Oshawa
2000 Simcoe Street North
Oshawa, ON L1G 0C5

905.721.8668 ext. 3735

jennifer.abbassdick@ontariotechu.ca

Research topics

  • breastfeeding
  • parenting
  • co-parenting
  • fathers

Research and Expertise

  • Background and Interests

    Dr. Jennifer Abbass Dick graduated from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She completed her Master of Nursing degree in 2009 from the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing at the University of Toronto with a focus on Community Health. She completed her PhD at the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing at the University of Toronto in 2013.

    The title of the dissertation is:

    • Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Co-parenting Breastfeeding Support Intervention on Exclusive Breastfeeding Rates at 12 Weeks Postpartum

    Dr. Abbass Dick has worked with childbearing families as both a Registered Nurse and lactation consultant in the hospital and community throughout her career. She is dedicated to assisting and empowering parents to have a positive and healthy transition to parenthood.

    Dr. Abbass Dick and a team of professionals from Ontario Tech University and Durham Region Health Department have created an Online Breastfeeding Course for Mothers and Fathers/Partners. Visit the Breastfeeding information for parents website.

    Research Area of Specialty

    • breastfeeding
    • co-parenting
    • fathers
    • randomized controlled trials
    • interventions design and evaluation

    Research interests

    • child development
    • infant nutrition
    • knowledge translation
    • parental relationships
    • utilizing technology in research
    • mindfulness
  • Publications

    Sun, W., Tahsin, F., Abbass Dick, J., Barakat-Haddad, C. Turner, J., Wilson, D., Reid-Haughian, C. (2021) Educating homecare nurses about deprescribing of medications to manage polypharmacy for older adults. Western Journal of Nursing Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/0193945920982599

    Abbass-Dick, C. (2020). Designing an eHealth Breastfeeding Resource With Young Mothers Using a Participatory Design. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 104365962095706–1043659620957065. https://doi.org/10.1177/1043659620957065

    Abbass-Dick, S. (2020). The comparison of access to an eHealth resource to current practice on mother and co-parent teamwork and breastfeeding rates: A randomized controlled trial. Midwifery, 90, 102812–102812. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2020.102812

    Abbass-Dick, N. (2020). Development, psychometric assessment, and predictive validity of the comprehensive breastfeeding knowledge scale. Midwifery, 83, 102642–102642. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2020.102642

    Abbass Dick, J., Sun, W., Stanyon, W., Papaconstantinou, F., D'Paiva, V., Jiwani-Ebrahim, N., Dennis, CL. (2020) Designing a mindfulness resource for expectant and new mothers to promote maternal mental wellness: Parents’ knowledge, attitudes and learning preferences. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 29, 105–114.1-10. DOI: 10.1007/s10826-019-01657-5.

    Sun, W., Tahsin, F., Abbass-Dick, J., Barakat-Haddad, C. Turner, J., Reid-Haughian, C. (2019). An Exploration of Home Care Nurse’s Experiences in Deprescribing of Medications: A Qualitative Descriptive Study. BMJ  Open 9(5), e025606-e025606. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-025606.

    Abbass-Dick, J., Brown, H. K., Jackson, K. T., Rempel, L., & Dennis, C. L. (2019). Perinatal breastfeeding interventions including fathers/partners: A systematic review of the literature. Midwifery. 75,         41-51.

    Reyes, C., Barakat-Haddad, C., Barber, W., & Abbass-Dick, J. (2019). Investigating the effectiveness of school-based breastfeeding education on breastfeeding knowledge, attitudes and intentions of adolescent females. Midwifery, 70, 64-70.

    Dennis, CL, Brown, H., Abbass-Dick, J. Brennenstuhl, S.  Prevalence and Predictors of Exclusive Breastfeeding among Immigrant and Canadian-Born Chinese Women.  Submitted to Maternal  & Child Nutrition. 15(2)      e12687

    Dennis, C. L., Brennenstuhl, S., & Abbass-Dick, J. (2018). Measuring paternal breastfeeding self-efficacy: A psychometric evaluation of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale–Short Form among fathers. Midwifery, 64, 17-22.

    Abbass-Dick, J., & Dennis, C. L. (2017). Maternal and Paternal Experiences and Satisfaction with a Co-parenting Breastfeeding Support Intervention in Canada. Midwifery. 56 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2017.10.005

    Abbass-Dick, J., Brolly, M., Huizinga, J., Newport, A., Xie, F., George, S., Sterken, E. (2017).  Designing an eHealth Breastfeeding Resource with Indigenous Families Using a Participatory Design. Journal of Transcultural Nursing. 1(9).

    Abbass-Dick, J., Xie, F., Koroluk, J., Brillinger, S. A., Huizinga, J., Newport, A., & Goodman, W. & Dennis, C. L. (2017). The Development and Piloting of an eHealth Breastfeeding Resource Targeting Fathers and Partners as Co-parents. Midwifery,50, 139-147.

    Abbass-Dick, J., & Dennis, C-L. (2017). Breastfeeding co-parenting framework: A new framework to improve breastfeeding duration and exclusivity. Family & Community Health, 40(1):28-31.

    Abbass-Dick, J., Stern, S. B., Nelson, L. E., Watson, W., & Dennis, C. L. (2015). 'Coparenting Breastfeeding Support and Exclusive Breastfeeding: A Randomized Controlled Trial'. Pediatrics, 135(1), 102-110. doi: 10.1542/peds.2014-1416.

  • Courses taught

    Undergraduate Courses:

    • Health and Healing - Healthy Communities
      • NURS 3700U – Instructor/Faculty Advisor
    • Community Based Health Care and Nursing
      • NURS 3402U – Instructor
    • Nursing Leadership and Innovation
      • NURS 4100U – Instructor

     Graduate Courses:

    •  Research Approaches for Nursing and Health Sciences
      • NURS 5010G – Instructor
  • Grants

    Research Title: The Effectiveness of eHealth Breastfeeding Co-Parenting Educational Resource on Overcoming Early Breastfeeding Challenges and Increasing Exclusivity Rates in the First Four Weeks Postpartum
    Granting Body: Woman’s Xchange
    Amount Requested: 14,983.24
    Principle Investigator:  Abbass Dick, J
    Co-Investigators: Sun, W., Goodman, B., Gainey, S.
    Date Awarded: November 19, 2017

    Research title: The Design and Evaluation of a Coparenting and Breastfeeding Online Course
    Granting body: Breastfeeding Community Projects Grant from Best Start Resources Ontario
    Amount awarded: $25,000
    Principal Investigator: Dr. Jennifer Abbass Dick
    Co-investigators: Shelley Alcock Brillinger, Amber Newport, Joanne Huizinga, Fangli Xie, Jaymie Koroluk, Cindy-Lee Dennis
    Date of award: March 2014 to February 2015

    Research title: Design and Evaluation of an Online Breastfeeding Resource for Adolescent Mothers and Aboriginal Families
    Granting body: Best Start Health Nexus with funding from the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care
    Amount awarded: $50,000
    Principal Investigator: Dr. Jennifer Abbass Dick, Michele Brolly, Joanna Huizinga, Fangli Xie, Amber Newport
    Co-investigators: Dr. Clemon George, Elisabeth Sterken, Stephanie MacDonald, and Cindy-Lee Dennis
    Date of award: January 1, 2015 to December 2015

  • Education
    • PhD, University of Toronto, 2013
    • Master of Nursing, University of Toronto, 2009
    • Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Queen's University, 1995