Jennifer Watt

MD, PhD

Scientist

Research Programs

Biography

Dr. Watt completed medical school at the University of Ottawa, residency in internal medicine at Western University, fellowship training in geriatric medicine at the University of Toronto, and a PhD in clinical epidemiology and health care research at the University of Toronto. She was a 2019 recipient of the CIHR Institute of Health Sciences and Policy Research Rising Star Award and the Thomas & Edna Naylor Memorial Award for the best paper based on a thesis in Health Services and Health Care Research at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation. More recently, she was awarded the 2021 Outstanding Junior Research Manuscript by the American Geriatrics Society.

Her research focuses on using knowledge synthesis methods (e.g., pairwise and network meta-analysis) and health administrative data to better understand the comparative efficacy and safety of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions in older adults, specifically, those with geriatric syndromes such as frailty, falls and cognitive impairment. She is also supporting evidence-informed and equitable access to virtual care for older adults.

Recent Publications

  1. Li, X, Chen, H, Selvaraj, MS, Van Buren, E, Zhou, H, Wang, Y et al.. A statistical framework for multi-trait rare variant analysis in large-scale whole-genome sequencing studies. Nat Comput Sci. 2025; :. doi: 10.1038/s43588-024-00764-8. PubMed PMID:39920506 .
  2. Rosenblat, MA, Watt, JA, Arnold, JI, Treff, G, Sandbakk, ØB, Esteve-Lanao, J et al.. Which Training Intensity Distribution Intervention will Produce the Greatest Improvements in Maximal Oxygen Uptake and Time-Trial Performance in Endurance Athletes? A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis of Individual Participant Data. Sports Med. 2025; :. doi: 10.1007/s40279-024-02149-3. PubMed PMID:39888556 .
  3. Ally, MZ, Casey, J, Devitt, R, Filinski, J, Marple, R, Beleno, R et al.. Rehabilitation Outcomes and Experiences of People Living With Dementia: A Mixed-Methods Study. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2025;26 (3):105460. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2024.105460. PubMed PMID:39805322 .
  4. Atchison, K, Hoang, PM, Merrikh, D, Chang, C, Watt, JA, Hofmeister, M et al.. Treatments for Depression for Older Adults Living in Long-Term Care: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2024; :105435. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2024.105435. PubMed PMID:39730115 .
  5. Manis, DR, Kirkwood, D, Fisher, S, Li, W, Webber, C, Tanuseputro, P et al.. Transitions to Nursing Homes among Residents of Assisted Living and Community-Dwelling Home Care Recipients. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2025;26 (2):105429. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2024.105429. PubMed PMID:39709180 .
  6. Atchison, K, Nazir, A, Wu, P, Seitz, D, Watt, JA, Goodarzi, Z et al.. Depression detection in dementia: A diagnostic accuracy systematic review and meta analysis update. Health Sci Rep. 2024;7 (11):e70058. doi: 10.1002/hsr2.70058. PubMed PMID:39530065 PubMed Central PMC11551879.
  7. Lee, J, Watt, J, Mayhew, AJ, Sinn, CJ, Schumacher, C, Costa, AP et al.. Inequalities in Transitions to Home Care: A Longitudinal Analysis of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2024;25 (12):105307. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2024.105307. PubMed PMID:39419481 .
  8. Manis, DR, Kirkwood, D, Li, W, Webber, C, Fisher, S, Tanuseputro, P et al.. Clinical and Sociodemographic Characteristics of New Residents of Assisted Living: A Nested Case-Control Study. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2024;25 (11):105270. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2024.105270. PubMed PMID:39313036 .
  9. Atchison, K, Wu, P, Watt, JA, Seitz, D, Ismail, Z, Goodarzi, Z et al.. Psychosis detection in dementia: a systematic review of diagnostic test accuracy studies. Front Dement. 2024;3 :1377191. doi: 10.3389/frdem.2024.1377191. PubMed PMID:39081609 PubMed Central PMC11285683.
  10. Wong, B, Wu, P, Ismail, Z, Watt, J, Goodarzi, Z. Detecting agitation and aggression in persons living with dementia: a systematic review of diagnostic accuracy. BMC Geriatr. 2024;24 (1):559. doi: 10.1186/s12877-024-05143-6. PubMed PMID:38926638 PubMed Central PMC11210082.
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Affiliations & Other Activities

  • Geriatrician, St. Michael’s Hospital
  • Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto