Andrew Papadopoulos

I am a Professor in the Department of Population Medicine within the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph. I was the Graduate Program Coordinator for the Master of Public Health (MPH) program from 2008 to 2024. I have spent my entire career within the public health sector working within a local public health agency, as an Executive Director of a provincial public health association, and at two post-secondary institutions. I am the co-chair of the President’s Task Force on Student Mental Health on campus where we are seeking a whole-of-the-university approach to address student mental health.

My research interests focus on population health interventions, specifically exploring and guiding public health policy development, program implementation, practice, and outcome evaluation, all with the purpose of creating a more effective, proactive public health system. Much of my recent work is focused on student mental health, teaching and pedagogy, health communication, environmental public health, and healthy public health policy. My research activities are connected through the development of environments and processes that support healthy public policy.

Specifically, my research:

• Develops and evaluates interventions to improve university student mental health and wellness;
• Explores post-secondary public health teaching and education to create an innovative learning experience;
• Assesses health communication to improve the uptake of key population health messages;
• Assesses and advises on environmental public health issues and practice in Canada;
• Determines how public health policy is developed and analyzes the process to advise on improvements; and,
• Applies proven administration processes and techniques to improve public health program development.

Prospective Graduate Students should have research ideas aligning with my research interests noted above. Contact me as early as possible to discuss research opportunities. If you would like to inquire about working with me, please send an email introducing yourself, your background, and your area(s) of research interest. As well, please attach a copy of your unofficial transcript. Please visit the Department of Population Medicine for further information on applying. The University of Guelph encourages students to find their own funding. My usual practice is to supervise students with interests that align directly with my research focus.

I supervise graduate students in the following programs:

• PhD in Population Medicine (Public Health or Epidemiology)
• MSc in Population Medicine (Public Health or Epidemiology) by Thesis
• MSc in Population Medicine (Public Health or Epidemiology) by Coursework (MRP)
• MSc in Food Science (Food Safety and Quality Assurance)

Prospective Undergraduate Students can contact me at any time via email regarding independent study courses or undergraduate thesis. Ensure that your interest aligns with my research topics. I will continue to supervise undergraduate students completing either a literature review or a full study.

At the University of Guelph

• President's Task Force on Student Mental Health co-chair
• University of Guelph Senate member
• University of Guelph Senate Research Board member
• University of Guelph Board of Graduate Studies (Past-chair)
• University of Guelph Natural, Physical and Engineering Science Research Ethics Board (Past-chair)

Outside of the University of Guelph

• Canadian Network of Schools and Programs of Public and Population Health (Past-chair)
• Environmental Health Review (Past Editor-in-Chief)
• National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health Advisory Board (Past-chair)
• National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools Advisory Board (Chair)

Selected Recent Publications (Last 3 Years)

*denotes advisor/senior author

• Patel, Vayshali, McWhirter, Jennifer, MacKay, Melissa, Cheng, Leslie, Phypers, Melissa, Papadopoulos, Andrew & Grant, Lauren. (2026, March). A Descriptive Analysis of Multi-Jurisdictional Enteric Illness Messaging Web Analytics Data from 2020 to 2022. Canada Communicable Disease Report, 2026;52(4), 123–36. https://doi.org/10.14745/ccdr.v52i04a03

• *Stringer, Jillian, Pearl, David, Lumley, Margaret & Papadopoulos, Andrew. (2026). An Epidemiological Analysis of Sport Participants’ Mental Health and Well-Being in Canadian Higher Education. Journal for the Study of Sports and Athletes in Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/19357397.2026.2668986

• MacKay, Melissa, McAlpine, Devon, Grant, Lauren, Papadopoulos, Andrew & McWhirter, Jennifer. (2025). Assessing communication competencies in Canadian MPH program curriculum: A content analysis of communication courses. Public Health Reports, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1177/00333549241308524

• Patel, Vayshali, Grant, Lauren, Shereefdeen, Hisba, MacKay, Melissa, Cheng, Leslie, Phypers, Melissa, . . . McWhirter, Jennifer. (2025). Evaluating Multi-Jurisdictional Enteric Illness Outbreak Messaging in Canada: A Content Analysis of Public Health Notices. Health Communication, 40(7), 1198-1212. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2024.2391207

• *Stringer, Jillian, Tasawar, Aisha, Pearl, David, Lumley, Margaret & Papadopoulos, Andrew. (2025). A scoping review of factors within the higher education ecosystem influencing student-athlete mental health and wellbeing in North America: Insights and a model for mental health promotion. Journal of Amateur Sport, 11(1), 72-115. https://doi.org/10.17161/jas.v11i1.22920

• Hogan, Grant, Zai, Benda, Papadopoulos, Andrew, O’Doherty, Kieran & Grant, Lauren. (2025). Evidence for inequities in the risk of foodborne and waterborne diseases in the Canadian population: A scoping review. Journal of Health Equity, 2(1), 1-36. https://doi.org/10.1080/29944694.2025.2535483

• MacKay, Melissa, McAlpine, Devon, Grant, Lauren, Papadopoulos, Andrew & McWhirter, Jennifer. (2025). Public health without effective health communication is really nothing": Key informant interviews to develop modernized public health communication competencies. Journal of Public Health Reports, 14(4), 1-13. https://doi:10.1177/22799036251390964

• Zai, Brenda, Panicker, Shefali, Ng, Victoria, Papadopoulos, Andrew, Young, Ian & Grant, Lauren. (2025). Identification of climate-sensitive preharvest biological and chemical food safety risks: A scoping review. Food Control, 174(2025), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111225

• Shereefdeen, Hisba, Grant, Lauren, Patel, Vayshali, MacKay, Melissa, Cheng, Leslie, Phypers, Melissa & McWhirter, Jennifer. (2025). Assessing the amplification of federal risk communication by news media outlets during enteric illness outbreaks: A Canadian content analysis. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, 2025(11:e68724), 1-14. https://doi:10.2196/68724

• McWhirter, Jennifer, MacKay, Melissa, McAlpine, Devon, Grant, Lauren & Papadopoulos, Andrew. (2025). The Public Health Communication Competency Framework: Results from a Multi-method and Consensus-building Process. Canadian Journal of Public Health. https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-025-01107-4

• Gosselin, Sydney, Mortazavi, Aida, Li, Yan, MacKay, Melissa, Papadopoulos, Andrew, Grant, Lauren, . . . McWhirter, Jennifer. (2025). Social media messaging by Canadian health organizations to address indoor tanning during policy and scientific shifts. Health Promotional International, 40(6). https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daaf214

• Packull-McCormick, Sarah; Hogan, Grant; Papadopoulos, Andrew; Doherty, Kieran; & Grant, Lauren. (2025). Associations Between the Local Retail Food Environment and Occurrence of Food Safety Infractions in a Local Public Health Unit in Ontario, Canada. Environmental Health Review, Volume 69, Issue 1, 10-15. https://doi.org/10.5864/d2026-002, 21-30

• *Sherk, Lauren, MacKay, Melissa, McWhirter, Jennifer & Papadopoulos, Andrew. (2024). Measuring health promoter core competencies among graduate students enrolled in a health promotion course. Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 15(3), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2024.3.14384

• *Thaivalappil, Abhinand, Young, Ian & Papadopoulos, Andrew. (2024). More than a Framework? A Primer for Applying Socioecological Models within Mental Health and Community Psychology Inquiries. Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health, 43(3), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.7870/cjcmh-2024-020

• *Ford, Caitlin, MacKay, Melissa, McWhirter, Jennifer & Papadopoulos, Andrew. (2024). Communicating about COVID-19 vaccines: A qualitative study on preferences, attitudes, and influences on post-secondary student decisions to get vaccinated. Emerging Adulthood, 13(1), 175-184. https://doi.org/10.1177/21676968241292110

• *Thaivalappil, Abhinand, Stringer, Jillian, Burnett, Alison, Bhattacharyya, Anit & Papadopoulos, Andrew. (2024). Embedding health and wellbeing in value statements of Canada’s post-secondary institutions: A mixed methods study. Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 54(1), 55-70. https://doi.org/10.47678/cjhe.v54i1.190167

• MacKay, Melissa, McAlpine. Devon, Worte, Heather, Grant, Lauren, Papadopoulos, Andrew & McWhirter, Jennifer. (2024). Public health communication professional development opportunities and alignment with core competencies: An environmental scan and content analysis. Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada, 44(5), 218-228. https://doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.44.5.03

• *Thaivalappil, Abhinand, Stringer, Jillian, Wong, Andrew, Young, Ian, Burnett, Alison & Papadopoulos, Andrew. (2024). Exploration of factors associated with complete mental health among postsecondary students. Discover Psychology, 4(1), 122. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44202-024-00228-0

• Khan, Ayesha, Dignos, Patricia, Papadopoulos, Andrew, Nowrouzi‑Kia, Behdin, Sivanthan, Myuri & Gohar, Basem. (2024). Unmasking the unrecognized: Exploring Canadian registered pharmacy technicians’ stressors during COVID-19 through a demands-resources inquiry and looking ahead. Inquiry, 2024(61), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1177/00469580241241391

• McAlpine, Devon, MacKay, Melissa, Grant, Lauren, Papadopoulos, Andrew & McWhirter, Jennifer. (2024). Modernizing public health communication competencies in Canada: A survey of the Canadian public health workforce. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 2024(115), 664–679. https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-024-00890-w

• MacKay, Melissa, Ford, Caitlin, Grant, Lauren, Papadopoulos, Andrew & McWhirter, Jennifer. (2024). Developing competencies in public health: A scoping review of the literature on developing competency frameworks and student and workforce development. Frontiers in Public Health, 12(1332412), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1332412

• Zai, Brenda, McReavy, Samantha, Hogan, Grant, Ng, Victoria, Papadopoulos, Andrew, Young, Ian & Grant, Lauren. (2024). Identifying the impact of climatic factors on biological and chemical contaminants of preharvest foods and their associated food safety risks: A scoping review protocol. BMJ Open, 2024(14), 1-5. https://doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2023-083749

• *Dougherty, Brendan, Finlay, Rita, Dumoulin, Danielle, Weese, Scott, Harper, Sherilee, Parmley, Jane & Papadopoulos, Andrew. (2024). Risk factors associated with antibiotic prescriptions for cases of enteric pathogens in Canada, 2015-2019. Epidemiology and Infection, 152(2024: e131), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0950268824001365

• Patel, Vayshali, Grant, Lauren, MacKay, Melissa, Cheng, Leslie, Phypers, Melissa, Papadopoulos, Andrew & McWhirter, Jennifer. (2024). A Content Analysis of Government-Issued Social Media Posts during Multi-Jurisdictional Enteric Illness Outbreaks in Canada. Frontiers in Communication, 9(2024), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2024.1512014

• Bravo, Caroline, Walker, Meghan, Papadopoulos, Andrew & McWhirter, Jennifer. (2024). Social media use in HPV-, cervical cancer-, and cervical screening-related research: A scoping review. Preventative Medicine, 179(Feb179), 1-10. https://doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2023.107798

• *Lisnyj, Konrad T, Gillani, Nafisa, Pearl, David L, McWhirter, Jennifer E & Papadopoulos, Andrew. (2023). Factors associated with stress impacting academic success among post-secondary students: A systematic review. Journal of American College Health, 71(3), 851-861. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2021.1909037

• *MacKay, Melissa, Thaivalappil, Abhinand, McWhirter, Jennifer, Gillis, Daniel & Papadopoulos, Andrew. (2023). There was a lot of that [coercion and manipulation] happening and well, that's not very trustworthy”: A Qualitative study on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Canada. Review of Communication, 23(3), 165-182. https://doi:10.1080/15358593.2022.2123251

• *Pike, Matthew, Cunsolo, Ashlee, Papadopoulos, Andrew & Harper, Sherilee. (2023). Natural resource development and well-being in Inuit Nunangat: A scoping review. The Northern Review, 54(2023), 33-62. https://doi.org/10.22584/nr54.2023.002

• *Thaivalappil, Abhinand, Bhattacharyya, Anit, Young, Ian, Gosselin, Sydney, Pearl, David & Papadopoulos, Andrew. (2023). Environmental determinants of infectious and chronic disease prevention behaviours: A systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative research. Health Psychology Open, 10(1), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1177/20551029231179157

• Yousefinaghani, Samira, Dara, Rozita, Wang, Alice, MacKay, Melissa, Papadopoulos, Andrew & Sharif, Shayan. (2023). Credibility of Vaccine-related Content on Twitter during COVID-19 pandemic. PLOS Global Public Health, 3(7 e0001385), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0001385

• *Ford, Caitlin, MacKay, Melissa, Thaivalappil, Abhinand, McWhirter, Jennifer & Papadopoulos, Andrew. (2023). Canadian federal actors’ Instagram accounts and the implications for vaccine uptake in young adults. Emerging Adulthood, 12(2), 224-235. https://doi.org/10.1177/21676968231222439

• Zahoor, Zoha, Papadopoulos, Andrew, Nowrouzi-Kia, Behdin, Ibrahim, Patty, Tadrous, Mina & Gohar, Basem. (2023). Behind the Counter: Exploring the Stressors and Lessons Learned by Ontario Pharmacists Working During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Health Services Insight, 2023(16), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1177/11786329231169937

• *Thaivalappil, Abhinand, Young, Ian, Pearl, David, Zhang, Ruijia & Papadopoulos, Andrew. (2023). A cross-sectional study and observational assessment of shoppers’ COVID-19 prevention behaviours in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 17(e384), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2023.48

• *Gaupholm, Josephine, Dood, Warren, Papadopoulos, Andrew & Little, Matthew. (2023). Exploring the Double Burden of Malnutrition at the Household Level in the Philippines: Analysis of 2013 National Nutrition Survey Data. PLOS One, 18(7 e0288402), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0288402

• *Gower, Sarah, Luddington, Justice, Khosa, Deep, Thaivalappil, Abhinand & Papadopoulos, Andrew. (2023). Subsequent pregnancy after stillbirth: A qualitative narrative analysis of Canadian families’ experiences. BMC: Pregnancy and Childbirth, 23(208 (2023)), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-023-05533-5

• *Keshoofy, Aria, Lisnyj, Konrad, Pearl, David, Thaivalappil, Abhinand & Papadopoulos, Andrew. (2023). Hopeful thinking during a public health crisis: A qualitative study of university students’ experiences. SAGE Open Medicine, 2023(11), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1177/20503121231185014

• *Keshoofy, Aria, Pearl, David, Lisnyj, Konrad, Thaivalappil, Abhinand & Papadopoulos, Andrew. (2023). Risk and protective factors associated with hopelessness among Canadian postsecondary students. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-023-01050-w

• *Obande, David, Young, Ian, Pearl, David & Papadopoulos, Andrew. (2023). Identifying predictors of safe food handling practices among Canadian households with children under 18 years. Food Protection Trends, 43(5), 391-408. https://doi:10.4315/FPT-22-039

• *Thaivalappil, Abhinand, Ackford, Rachel, Bell, Courtney, Dougherty, Brendan, Duench, Stephanie, Janicki, Rachelle & Papadopoulos, Andrew. (2023). An assessment of community-engaged learning within a Canadian Master of Public Health program. SAGE Open Medicine, 11(2023), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1177/20503121231176637

• Ishaky, Liam, Sivanthan, Myuri Lisa McCarthy, Andrew Papadopoulos, Basem Go, Mina, Tadrous, Nowrouzi-Kia, Behdin, McCarthy, Lisa, Papadopoulos, Andrew & Gohar, Basem. (2023). Pharmacists’ mental health during the first two years of the pandemic: a socio-ecological scoping review. Pharmacy, 11(2), 64-77. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy11020064

• *Thaivalappil, Abhinand, Young, Ian, Lam, Steven & Papadopoulos, Andrew. (2023). Enhancing quality of qualitative evidence in food safety and food security. Food and Humanity, 1(Dec 2023), 28-31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foohum.2023.03.002

• MacKay, Melissa, Li, Yan, Grant, Lauren, Papadopoulos, Andrew & McWhirter, Jennifer. (2023). Overview of the Health Communication Curriculum in Canadian Master of Public Health Programs. Journal of Public Health Management & Practice, 29(6), 906-914. https://doi:10.1097/PHH.0000000000001758

• *Thaivalappil, Abhinand, Stringer, Jillian, Burnett, Alison, Young, Ian & Papadopoulos, Andrew. (2023). Bridging the digital gap: A content analysis of mental health activities on university websites. Trends in Higher Education, 2023(2), 409-420. https://doi.org/10.3390/higheredu2030024

• *Thaivalappil, Abhinand, Stringer, Jillian, Burnett, Alison & Papadopoulos, Andrew. (2023). Institutional Factors Affecting Postsecondary Student Mental Wellbeing: A Scoping Review of the Canadian Literature. Psych, 2023(5), 630-649. https://doi.org/10.3390/psych5030040

• MacKay, Melissa, McWhirter, Jennifer, Grant, Lauren, McAlpine, Devon & Papadopoulos, Andrew. (2023). Developing public health competency statements and frameworks: A scoping review and thematic analysis of approaches. BMC Public Health, 2023(23), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17182-6

• Dignos, Patricia Nicole, Khan, Ayesha, Gardiner-Davis, Michael, Papadopoulos, Andrew, Nowrouzi-Kia, Behdin, Sivanthan, Myuri & Gohar, Basem. (2023). Hidden and Understaffed: Exploring Canadian Medical Laboratory Technologists’ Pandemic Stressors and Lessons Learned. Healthcare, 11(20), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11202736