Linda Li

Dr. Linda Li is a Professor and Harold Robinson / Arthritis Society Chair in Arthritic Diseases at the Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, and Senior Scientist at the Arthritis Research Canada.

Dr. Li earned a Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy at McGill University, a Master of Science at University of Western Ontario, and a PhD in Clinical Epidemiology at University of Toronto. Funded by Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR), she completed a post-doctoral fellowship in clinical epidemiology/knowledge translation at Ottawa Hospital Research Institute.

Dr. Li is currently a Canada Research Chair in Patient-oriented Knowledge Translation, and a Michael Smith Foundation Health Research (MSFHR) Career Investigator.

As a health services researcher, Linda’s research focuses in two areas: 1) understanding the help-seeking experiences of people with early inflammatory arthritis, and 2) evaluating models of arthritis care. Her methodological skills include clinical epidemiology and mixed-methods design. She also collaborates with digital media experts to develop and evaluate online tools, such as decision aids for promoting shared-decision making and interactive programs for counseling people to be physically active. Her research is currently funded by CIHR, The Arthritis Socienty and the Grand NCE (Graphics, Animation & New Media, a Network of Centres of Excellence).

Dr. Li’s areas of methodological expertise include clinical epidemiology, knowledge translation, mixed methods designs. Dr. Linda Li’s research website

Training Opportunities

Dr. Li is currently recruiting trainees who are interested in pursuing a PhD degree through the UBC Rehabilitation Sciences Research Program

The candidate will develop his/her research project in one or more of the following areas:

• Arthritis rehabilitation
• Access to health services and information
• Delivery of arthritis care in rural and remote regions
• Knowledge translation interventions
• If you are interested, please forward the following information to Dr. Li :
• An updated CV
• Unofficial transcripts
• A one-page letter outlining your research experience and goals
• For details, check the UBC Rehabilitation Sciences Research Program.

See publications by Linda Li on PubMed

Significant publications:

• Leese J, Macdonald GG, Tran BC, Wong R, Backman CL, Townsend AF, Davis AM, Jones CA, Gromala D, Avina-Zubieta JA, Hoens A, Li LC. Using physical activity trackers in arthritis self-management: a qualitative study of patient and rehabilitation professional perspectives. Arthritis Care & Research (DOI: 10.1002/acr.23780) 71(2): 227-236, 2019.
• Hamilton CB, Hoens AM, McQuitty S, McKinnon AM, English K, Backman CL, Azimi T, Khodarahmi N, Li LC. Development and pre-testing of the Patient Engagement In Research Scale (PEIRS) to assess the quality of engagement from a patient perspective. PLOS One. (DOI: doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0206588) 13(11):e0206588, 2018.
• Hamilton CB, Hoens AM, Backman CL, English K, McKinnon AM, McQuitty S, Li LC. An empirically based conceptual framework for fostering meaningful patient engagement in research. Health Expectations. (DOI 10.1111/hex.12635) 21(1):396-406, 2018.
• Feehan LM, Geldman J, Sayre EC, Park C, Ezzat A, Yoo JY, Hamilton C, Li LC. Accuracy of Fitbit devices: a systematic review and narrative syntheses of quantitative data. JMIR mHealth & uHealth. (DOI: 10.2196/10527) 6(8):e10527, 2018.
• Li LC, Shaw C, Lacaille D, Yacyshyn E, Jones CA, Koehn C, Hoens AM, Geldman J, Sayre EC, Macdonald G, Leese J, Bansback N. Effects of a web-based patient decision aid on biologic and small molecule agents for rheumatoid arthritis, ANSWER-2: a proof-of-concept study. Arthritis Care and Research. (DOI: 10.1002/acr.23287) 70(3):243-253, 2018.
• Li LC, Sayre, EC, Xie H, Falck RS, Best J, Liu-Ambrose T, Grewal N, Noonan G, Hoens AM, Feehan LM. Efficacy of a community-based technology-enabled physical activity counselling program for people with knee osteoarthritis: a proof-of-concept study. Journal of Medical Internet Research. (DOI: 10.2196/jmir.8514) 20(4):e159, 2018.

Selected activities:

• Lead, Knowledge Translation/Implementation Science Methods Cluster, BC SUPPORT Unit
• Editorial Board Member for Arthritis Care & Research
• Executive Committee Member, SPOR Evidence Alliance
• Faculty Member, KT Canada Summer Institute
• Member, College of Physical Therapists of British Columbia, Quality Assurance Committee (2013 – 2019)