• MBMC in the Media

    Since 2006, many of our exciting research findings have been covered by the media

Central to the mission of the MBMC is to promote healthy lifestyles and reduce the overall burden of chronic disease within the community. It is therefore critical for our research to be accessible to the general public.

Please note that articles are presented in the language they were published.

COVID-19 passports convinced few people to get vaccinated in Ontario, Quebec: study

October 24, 2023

MBMC Co-Director Kim Lavoie says that in order to increase vaccination rates, it’s important to understand why people aren’t getting vaccinated. “You can’t just lump those who aren’t vaccinated in the same pool.”

L’AVC et la santé mentale chez les femmes

June 1, 2023

Balado “Le Beat” de la Fondation des maladies du coeur et de l’AVC avec comme invité la co-directrice du Centre de médecine comportementale de Montréal, Kim Lavoie.

The first line of vaccines was highly effective at restricting COVID-19’s damage

May 31, 2023

A team of researchers from the MBMC sought to answer questions will provide invaluable information for policymakers about vaccine effectiveness and the timing of vaccine booster doses.

Une école d’été en psychologie comportementale

May 19, 2023

Offerte chaque année depuis 2018, l’École d’été de l’IBTN cherche à surmonter les obstacles méthodologiques actuels dans le domaine des essais comportementaux, à élargir la portée de ces essais et à multiplier leurs retombées.

The first line of vaccines was highly effective at restricting COVID-19’s damage

April 12, 2023

The Omicron variant upended things, explains Dr. Bacon, but the primary vaccines were better at protecting people against hospitalizations and mortality.

Use physical activity to your advantage this end of semester

April 5, 2023

Going from no exercise to some exercise brings the biggest benefits, explains Dr. Simon Bacon

Pandémie : il y a «une chose qu’on n’a pas apprise», souligne Kim Lavoie

March 20, 2023

Le 22 mars marque le troisième anniversaire du premier confinement. Quelles habitudes et attitudes avons-nous gardées?

Three years into the COVID-19 pandemic, are we ready for what comes next? Two experts aren’t sure

March 11, 2023

There’s a general euphoria because people are getting back to what they were doing before, but it’s a growing sentiment that “COVID’s not really a thing anymore,” that causes concern.

How many shots do you need to be immune?

March 9, 2023

Dr. Simon Bacon talks to CJAD about how the efforts of citizens in wearing masks and getting vaccinated have ultimately paid off.

La recherche en médecine comportementale aide concrètement les gens

March 7, 2023

La raison d’être du CMCM est d’étudier les comportements et les décisions que nous prenons au quotidien, explique la Dre Lavoie, notamment dans le contexte de la pandémie.

MBMC Co-Director’s review cited as new Colorado bill considers allowing psychologists to prescribe mental health medications under new bill

January 23, 2023

Lavoie is s skeptical of allowing psychologists to prescribe, since they wouldn’t be able to treat side effects. She is unconvinced this choice would streamline mental healthcare.

Government of Canada announces new clinical trials consortium, training platforms, and research projects to improve the health of Canadians

January 19, 2023

MBMC Co-Director Simon Bacon is to lead the training platform focused on health behaviour change.

MBMC Co-Director Simon Bacon directs the pan-Canadian platform centred on training grad students, postdoc fellows and new investigators

January 19, 2023

Bacon explains that this new training platform will help create infrastructure to train health researchers to develop and test health behaviour change strategies and integrate them across the healthcare spectrum.

Il faut normaliser le masque

December 17, 2022

Le journal La Presse parle avec la Dre Kim Lavoie sur les différentes politiques et stratégies de communication à adopter pour inciter une population à adopter et modifier certains comportements.

A behavioural psychologist explains why Canadians aren’t wearing masks

December 9, 2022

Dr. Kim Lavoie, Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Medicine, talks to the Globe & Mail’s The Decibel podcast to explain why people just aren’t masking the way they used to.

Médecine comportementale: comment changer les habitudes de vie

December 3, 2022

L’étude de ces phénomènes est la raison d’être du Centre de médecine comportementale de Montréal, comme l’explique l’article tiré du cahier spécial Philanthropie du journal Le Devoir.

Deux étudiantes du CMCM reçoivent une bourse J.A De Sève

November 30, 2022

Bravo à nos deux étudiantes, Camille Léger et Anda Drargomir. chacune récipiendaires d’une bourse J.A. De Sève dans le cadre du concours interne du CIUSSS-NIM.

Kim Lavoie signs open letter “Our kids are in crisis – It’s time to work together and prioritize children”

November 23, 2022

Letter reminds PM and premiers that Canada has recently dropped in stature, earning the dismal rank of 48th on a global child rights index.

Ontario’s government is ‘strongly’ recommending masks indoors. Why stop short of a mandate?

November 15, 2022

MBMC Co-director Kim Lavoie suggests the government should work to highlight the benefits of voluntarily masking so we can look forward to a healthy holiday season.

Quebec College of Physicians recommends wearing masks as pediatric ERs buckle under strain

November 14, 2022

MBMC co-director Kim Lavoie believes we need more than just a recommendation and that that it’s the government’s role to help people make informed decisions.

Kim Lavoie keynote speaker at UCL’s CBC Behaviour Change for Health and Sustainability conference

November 9, 2022

Dr. Lavoie presented a keynote address entitled “Why stress and behaviour matter for managing long-term conditions – and how digital solutions can help.”

Kim Lavoie parmi trois chercheurs de l’UQAM financés par les IRSC pour leurs projets en santé

November 9, 2022

Ce nouveau financement permettra à l’équipe de l’Étude iCARE de poursuire une nouvelle phase de son étude dans divers pays.

Dr. Bacon contributes to the 2022 C-CHANGE guideline update

November 7, 2022

The C-CHANGE guideline is designed to offer Canadian healthcare providers a comprehensive and practical set of harmonized guideline recommendations to manage cardiovascular disease.

Gagnants du Coup de cœur du CIUSSS NÎM – Enseignement et recherche

October 28, 2022

Les co-directeurs du laboratoire du CMCM honorés lors du Gala des Émilie de la Fondation de l’Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur de Montréal.

Lack of public data is creating a ‘false sense of security,’ warns behavioural scientist

October 14, 2022

On the one hand, government are lifting protective COVID-19 measures. On the other, they’re telling people it’s important they get vaccinated and boosted. The contradiction isn’t helpful, says MBMC Co-Director Simon Bacon.

Débat électoral québécois : Thème de la santé présenté par Kim Lavoie.

September 29, 2022

À l’occasion d’un débat organisé par l’UQAM et TVA, l’UQAM a fait appel à trois de ses experts dont la titulaire de la Chaire de recherche du Canada en médecine comportementale Kim Lavoie.

Why uptake in COVID boosters is lagging in Quebec — and why that matters

August 18, 2022

Kim Lavoie says unless the Quebec government changes its vaccination messaging, Quebecers likely won’t get their next booster dose.

Behavioural science weighs in on perils of focusing only on vaccines

July 15, 2022

People will wear masks if they why it’s important to do so, explains Simon Bacon.

Signs of Cancer Women Should Never Ignore

July 11, 2022

Ignoring signs is also a common phenomenon, according to Dr. Kim Lavoie

Le retour des foules, entre inquiétude et insouciance

June 19, 2022

Presque du jour au lendemain, on peut se retrouver dans des foules comme avant la pandémie », explique Kim Lavoie

Quebec Prime Minister steps away from pandemic spotlight

May 27, 2022

“I think the message people are getting is there’s nothing we can do, and we’re all doomed to get infected,” said Kim Lavoie, who holds the Canadian research chair in behavioural medicine

Quebec to lift indoor mask mandate on May 14

May 27, 2022

“People don’t really have a sense of why they should be doing this,” explain Simon Bacon, professor in behavioural medicine at Concordia University.

Cancer du poumon: Le vapotage n’est guère mieux

May 27, 2022

Les cigarettes électroniques sont loin d’être banales prévient Kim Lavoie, codirectrice du Centre de médecine comportementale de Montréal.

With Easter weekend coming amid sixth wave, how should Quebecers celebrate?

April 27, 2022

Dr. Kim Lavoie, Canada research chair in behavioural medicine advises talking to the people who will be at a gathering to get an idea of how much exposure they have had, and of their tolerance for risk.

Regulations have ended, but many Montreal students still wear masks in class

April 27, 2022

“We know the biggest risk of transmission occurs in places where you can remove your mask, in indoor spaces where people congregate,” said Kim Lavoie, Canada research chair in behavioural medicine

COVID-19: la sixième vague frappe fort à Montréal

April 2, 2022

Les bars et les restaurants sont les lieux les plus exposés au virus, d’après Kim Lavoie, professeure au Département de psychologie de l’Université du Québec à Montréal.

1200 morts liées à la COVID-19 depuis le feu vert de Legault aux assouplissements

March 31, 2022

Selon Kim Lavoie, directrice de la Chaire de recherche du Canada en médecine comportementale et professeure à l’UQAM, le gouvernement a abandonné son rôle de prévention en banalisant le discours sur la COVID.

Without restrictions, here’s how social pressure and limited data could impact our response

March 19, 2022

Behavioural medicine professor Simon Bacon breaks down how the public might live with COVID-19.

Nous surchargeons la capacité physique de nos pièces

March 16, 2022

Certaines personnes sont des maniaques de rangement, d’autres vivent dans des endroits bordéliques. Selon la psychologue Kim Lavoie, qui étudie les changements de comportement en santé, tout dépend de l’importance qu’on accorde au fait de vivre dans un environnement organisé.

Concordia professor lands $1.5M for brain-health research from the Weston Family Foundation

March 2, 2022

Dr. Simon Bacon will study how major changes to diet and stomach bacteria can impact cognitive function in patients undergoing bariatric surgery.

Empowering individuals to make their own decisions is an important step forward

February 10, 2022

Dr. Simon Bacon says that people generally do not underestimate the risk of COVID-19 if given enough information to make an informed decision.

Should Ontario lift restrictions more quickly? Be patient, says expert

February 10, 2022

Behavioural scientist Dr. Simon Bacon says arbitrary dates are confusing.

Stressed about Quebec’s reopening? You’re not alone

February 2, 2022

People need to be empowered so that they know how to accurately assess risk and are not stuck in the house, explains Dr. Kim Lavoie.

‘It’s one by one’: Community workers keen to tackle Montreal’s pockets of unvaccinated

February 2, 2022

Dr. Simon Bacon believes some of those who remain unvaccinated could still be persuaded, with the right approach.

Visites d’expertes au caucus du PQ

January 28, 2022

Le caucus du PQ recevra la visite des Dres Joanne Liu et Kim Lavoie pour les aider à naviguer dans leurs propositions d’améliorations et de changements au système de santé.

Quebec must adopt ‘vaccine-plus’ strategy to move forward

January 27, 2022

Dr. Kim Lavoie says that getting back to normal means improving air quality, otherwise we’re guaranteed to see the virus circulating in those spaces.

Helpline for the unvaccinated will only work if it’s staffed by the right people

January 24, 2022

Dr. Kim Lavoie applauds efforts to reach vulnerable and marginalized groups. But for those who are scared, the new helpline will only work if it is staffed by the right people.

‘One-size-fits-all approach’ won’t work on unvaccinated

January 21, 2022

Dr. Kim Lavoie explain how even if a group of people are anxious it doesn’t mean they’re all anxious about the same thing.

Harm reduction measures rather than punitive ones

January 20, 2022

Dr. Bacon suggests that punitive measures used during the pandemic should instead give way to harm reduction measures that would benefit all.

Dr. Bacon talks to CTV Montreal about back-to-school

January 20, 2022

How safe it it at schools for staff and students?

Le passeport vaccinal aura peu d’effets, selon deux expertes

January 20, 2022

Selon les résultats d’une étude nationale, 69 % des non-vaccinés ne changeront pas leurs intentions malgré l’imposition du passeport vaccinal.

Many of those who are as-yet unvaccinated are still open to the idea of being vaccinated

January 19, 2022

Dr. Simon Bacon says punitive measures are less likely to convince the unvaccinated to roll up their sleeves than hearing and addressing their concerns

Doubts about the ultimate success of the vaccine passport requirement in boosting overall vaccination rates

January 18, 2022

Dr. Bacon suspects these kinds of prodding measures can shift only a small proportion of people into getting vaccinated

Le couvre-feu touche davantage certains groupes, dont les femmes victimes de violence

January 13, 2022

La Dre Kim Lavoie affirme que l’approche du gouvernement pour réduire la transmission de la COVID-19, y compris le couvre-feu, constitue une «recette classique» pour accentuer les problèmes de santé mentale.

Quebec curfew taking toll on women facing violence, people with mental health issues

January 13, 2022

Dr. Lavoie explains how the Quebec government’s approach — including the curfew — is a “textbook recipe” for increasing mental health issues.

Quebec’s ‘anti-vax tax’ difficult to enforce, experts say

January 12, 2022

Dr. Kim Lavoie called the plan to tax the unvaccinated “a master stroke of distraction away from the real issues of poor public health leadership.”

Health tax could prompt unvaccinated to ‘dig their heels in,’ expert worries

January 11, 2022

Dr. Simon Bacon says the premier’s plan does little to address mistrust in government decisions.

Tightening rules for unvaccinated is justified as health system struggles: experts

January 11, 2022

Dr. Kim Lavoie said that while she agrees the government should restrict the movement in public places of unvaccinated people, she’s not convinced expanding the passport system will change their minds.

COVID-19: appui d’experts à l’expansion du passeport vaccinal au Québec

January 11, 2022

La Dre Kim Lavoie appuie la volonté de l’État de limiter les déplacements en public des personnes non-vaccinées, mais doute que des ajouts restrictifs au passeport vaccinal leur fera changer d’avis.

L’abc du changement de comportement

January 9, 2022

Selon la Dre Kim Lavoie, il faut avoir confiance en sa capacité de faire les changements. Les échecs peuvent miner la confiance. Se fixer des objectifs réalistes prend donc toute son importance.

Quebec could have done more to avoid latest COVID-19 crisis, health experts say

January 6, 2022

Dr. Kim Lavoie talks about how the Quebec government brags about having some of the strictest measures in the country, in the world, and yet continues to have the worst rates.

Le défi de la clarté

January 6, 2022

La Dre Kim Lavoie fait valoir que si le gouvernement souhaite laisser les individus « s’autogérer » — ce qui est une bonne chose, selon elle —, encore faut-il les avoir préparés à cela et leur fournir un certain soutien.

Une experte en santé mentale déplore la gestion de Québec

January 5, 2022

La titulaire de la chaire de recherche du Canada en médecine comportementale, la Dre Kim Lavoie, croit que le Québec « mérite mieux » que le traitement que lui a réservé son gouvernement dans les dernières semaines.

Quelques outils pour soigner son moral « pandémique »

January 5, 2022

La Dre. Kim Lavoie discute d’outils pour soigner son morale pandémique. L’exercice physique, ça se trouve partout. Trouvez un escalier!

Quebec children aged 5-11 still seeing lowest COVID-19 vaccination numbers

January 4, 2022

Dr. Simon Bacon believes logistics may help explain the low rate so far.

Nous implantons des mesures sévères, mais trop tard, mentionne Kim Lavoie

January 4, 2022

Entrevue avec la Dre Kim Lavoie: Quels effets auront les plus récentes mesures sanitaires sur l’adhésion des Québécois aux mesures sanitaires?

Quebecers face emotional challenge of tightened restrictions as opposition criticizes curfew

January 1, 2022

Dr. Kim Lavoie said it’s important to remember why the restrictions are there — that the goal is to get the situation under control and back to normal.

Il faut montrer aux gens que leurs sacrifices ont servi à quelque chose

December 24, 2021

“L’une des choses que l’on n’a pas assez faites est de reconnaître les efforts que les gens ont faits”, souligne Simon Bacon de l’Université Concordia.

Des soins en santé mentale réclamés

December 22, 2021

Le problème, c’est que le domaine de la santé psychologique manque de personnel pour subvenir aux besoins, affirme la Dre Kim Lavoie.

Dénominateurs psychologiques d’une fatigue pandémique

December 18, 2021

Le monde entier s’est tourné vers les scientifiques dans l’espoir qu’ils puissent concevoir un vaccin. C’était vu comme une « potion magique », discute Kim Lavoie avec Le Devoir

Quebec reports nearly 4,000 new COVID-19 cases as government tightens restrictions

December 17, 2021

“The messaging is critical, but what’s in the message?” asked Kim Lavoie, a professor and chair of behavioural medicine at the Université du Québec à Montréal.

Les québécois sont responsables et on doit leur faire confiance

December 15, 2021

Mario Dumont s’entretient avec Kim Lavoie, professeure de psychologie en médecine du comportement à l’UQAM, aux ondes de QUB radio.

Holiday gatherings likely to be complicated this year

December 13, 2021

Dr. Kim Lavoie talks with CTV News about the upcoming holidays and how to manage vaccination status with guests and families.

Doit-on demander à ses invités d’être vaccinés pour le temps des Fêtes?

December 9, 2021

C’est une situation très délicate, explique Dre Kim Lavoie. On sait qu’on est huit fois plus susceptible d’être infecté lors d’un dîner familial par rapport à une visite à l’épicerie par exemple, alors ce n’est pas banal.

Comment renouer avec les partys de Noël (ou pas)

December 8, 2021

C’est sûr qu’un relâchement de certaines mesures de prévention, ça peut inquiéter beaucoup de gens, convient Kim Lavoie.

D’où vient le sentiment de fierté de certains de braver les mesures sanitaires?

December 3, 2021

Entrevue avec Kim Lavoie, professeure de psychologie en médecine du comportement à l’UQAM : pourquoi des gens vont jusqu’à engueuler des enfants pour s’opposer aux mesures sanitaires?

Quebec delays vaccine mandates for health workers by a month

October 25, 2021

Despite being pushed back, Dr. Kim Lavoie said, the number of unvaccinated healthcare workers in Quebec has dropped by half since the mandate was announced in late August.

Quebec delay sign of tough decisions provinces face on vaccine mandates

October 15, 2021

Vaccine mandates and educational campaigns may encourage some hesitant people, but there are others who can’t be convinced.

Avoiding Public Anger and Growing Distrust

September 30, 2021

Simon Bacon talks to CBC St-John about growing anger surrounding pandemic management. “People are very smart. We can help curb frustration with more transparency.”

Stop Calling It a ‘Pandemic of the Unvaccinated’

September 20, 2021

Dr. Bacon talks to The Atlantic: “Pitting the vaccinated against the unvaccinated creates resistance.”

New data from a Montreal-led global study helps explain vaccination rates and vaccine hesitancy : Concordia

September 13, 2021

An MBMC-led survey of global attitudes around the COVID-19 pandemic takes a close look at what drives people to get vaccinated and what would motivate those who are not.

COVID-19 : résignés, hésitants ou craintifs, à la rencontre de non-vaccinés

September 13, 2021

La Dre Kim Lavoie estime qu’il faut tenter de convaincre les hésitants un à un, sur le terrain, avec des cliniques mobiles dans les cégeps et les universités notamment.

As delta surges among unvaccinated, how a focus on science can counter misinformation

September 13, 2021

Dr. Simon Bacon speaks to the CBC about talking with loves ones who are unvaccinated about what’s to gain rather than what there is to lose.

Comment convaincre les non vaccinés

September 13, 2021

Une conversation positive axée sur une approche ouverte et intéressée serait meilleure qu’une approche négative propose la Dre Kim Lavoie

Boosting vaccination rates during back-to-school season

September 10, 2021

Dr. Simon Bacon suggests that focusing on the positives of being vaccinated (rather than the negatives) is more likely to help boost rates.

What Québec’s vaccine passport initiative is actually designed to do

September 10, 2021

Dr. Simon Bacon talks with The Concordian about education being essential, namely in response to how the province is managing and explaining vaccine passports.

Mobile exercise app project wins MSFHR research trainee award

September 10, 2021

MBMC research trainee Vincent Gosselin Boucher receives an award for an mobile app exercise intervention to support Canadian healthcare professionals overwhelmed by the demands of the pandemic

Staying safe from COVID: It’s up to us now

September 7, 2021

Dr. Simon Bacon comments how in Québec the government has been somewhat authoritarian in managing the pandemic but has not provided the information to allow people to make decisions.

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy a concern amid rising case numbers

September 7, 2021

Dr. Simon Bacon talks about those still hesitating about COVID-19 vaccination and suggests they may be more receptive to education than vaccine passports.

New data from a Montreal-led global study helps explain vaccination rates and vaccine hesitancy

August 31, 2021

Dr. Simon Bacon explains how we have to disentangle the difference between those who are vaccine hesitant and those who are vaccine resistant,” he says. “Just less than 10 per cent of the population is vaccine resistant”

Impact of vaccine passports on the unvaccinated

August 30, 2021

Dr. Bacon says that implementing vaccine passports would do little to boost New Brunswick’s vaccination rates, but they could help protect unvaccinated people from contracting the virus.

Passeport vaccinal pourra-t-il vaincre l’hésitation vaccination?

August 27, 2021

Dre Kim Lavoie parle des avantages versus des inconvénients qui pourraient être présentés aux personnes non vaccinées afin de les convaincre de se faire vacciner.

Le passeport vaccinal peut-il convaincre les gens non vaccinés?

August 26, 2021

Selon la Dre Kim Lavoie, le passeport vaccinal doit davantage être une mesure préventive qu’une incitative dans la lutte contre la COVID-19.

Opinion: COVID-19 vaccination is a must for medical students

August 23, 2021

Opinion piece on COVID-19 vaccination for medical students by incoming medical student Zhida Shang, and another piece written by one of her professors who is also an iCARE study collaborator.

New podcast about COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy for those treating COPD patients

August 16, 2021

Episode 5 of the COVID Quotes podcast series, designed to help healthcare practioners (HCPs) help their patients with COPD live better, talks with Dr. Simon Bacon about addressing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.

‘It might incentivize people’: Quebec vaccine passport plan to start Sept 1

August 12, 2021

Dr. Kim Lavoie talks about the importance of talking about vaccine passports as a preventive measure.

Vaccine passports serving to protect those at risk

August 11, 2021

Dr. Kim Lavoie draws parallels between freedoms and choices in other high-risk situations in talking about Québec’s vaccine passports and suggests they will protect those at risk and the unvaccinated.

Concordia professor lands unique co-chair in artificial intelligence and health

July 26, 2021

Dr. Simon Bacon and ÉTS professor Dr. Éric Granger will study ambivalence as it relates to health behaviour lifestyle changes thanks to an innovative new research grant from the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé (FRQS).

MBMC researchers discuss implementation of vaccination passports

July 19, 2021

MBMC researchers Drs. Jovana Stojanovic and Kim Lavoie talk about implementation and guidelines for those asked to verify and enforce rules associated with vaccination passports.

Why experts are mixed on if it’s too soon for Canadians to ditch masks

July 12, 2021

Dr. Simon Bacon talks to CBC News about the risks of some jurisdiction going mask-free and others asking people to keep wearing them. The inconsistency invites people to decide for themselves.

L’instigateur du jeu Pandémie et vérité en entrevue avec de nombreux médias

June 23, 2021

L’étudiant instigateur du jeu Pandémie et vérité, Vincent Gosselin-Boucher, parle avec Marie-Lou St-Onge à l’émission Sur le vif sur les ondes de OhDio de Radio-Canada (et nombreuses autres entrevues)

Un pandémie dont vous êtes le héros

June 23, 2021

Un groupe de l’UQAM lance le jeu Vérité ou Pandémie qui amène les joueurs à voyager à travers sept enjeux liés à la pandémie pour leur procurer une compréhension plus juste des enjeux scientifiques entourant la COVID-19 et les outiller pour changer le cours de l’histoire.

Comportements de santé – Vérité ou pandémie

June 15, 2021

Sur la plateforme Vérité ou Pandémie, le youtubeur Thomas Gauthier s’entretient avec la professeure et psychologue Kim Lavoie, spécialiste dans les comportements de santé. Quand tu dis à une population au complet de changer, euh, tout… comment ça se passe? On l’a vécu, maintenant on va en apprendre sur la science derrière le comportement.

Quebec’s reopening plans should have included targets, not dates

June 2, 2021

Dr. Simon Bacon talks to CJAD about the risks of using dates for Quebec’s reopening plan, from psychological impacts, confusion, and people dropping out of following health measures.

COVID-19: Celebrations of Canadiens’ Game 7 win bring burst of euphoria, public health warning

June 1, 2021

Dr. Simon Bacon talks about how the Habs win and the reopening create a “perfect storm of hope” that has its own set of risks.

Quebec should have had a more strategic reopening plan, experts say

June 1, 2021

Dr. Simon Bacon talks to The Gazette and notes how Quebec’s date-based reopening plan negates the need for people to engage in a safe and sustainable process.

Quebec’s reopening plan brings much-needed hope — and yes, some risks

May 20, 2021

Dr. Kim Lavoie talks about the difficulties of Quebec having to pull back on its date-based reopening should any unexpected setbacks arise

Un déconfinement graduel, pour ne pas retourner en arrière

May 19, 2021

Lors d’un entretien à l’émission 24-60, la co-directrice du CMCM Dre Kim Lavoie remarque que le plan de déconfinement du Québec annoncé le 18 mai semble plutôt chronologique qu’épidémiologique.

Experts on Quebec reopening: ‘If the plan isn’t logical, we could lose people

May 18, 2021

In an interview with the Montreal Gazette, MBMC co-director Dr. Kim Lavoie talks about how the Legault government might frame the loosening of pandemic restrictions for the summer.

Une saison de la grippe écourtée l’an dernier

May 17, 2021

Un chercheur du CMCM, Vincent Gosselin-Boucher, parle avec Le Devoir de récentes données d’une étude sur la grippe en temps de pandémie.

Grippe et COVID-19 : des courbes nettement contraires

May 16, 2021

Des chercheurs australiens et canadiens (du Centre de médecine comportementale de Montréal) fournissent une autre preuve, chiffres à l’appui, que le SRAS-CoV-2 et le virus de l’influenza sont bien différents.

COVID-19 Lessons

May 14, 2021

MBMC Co-Director Dr. Simon Bacon talks to Global News Montreal about how the health measures developed to battle the COVID-19 pandemic can remain useful in the long-term.

Continued COVID-19 measures may prevent seasonal influenza, study says

May 13, 2021

MBMC researcher Jovana Stojanovic talks to the media about how influenza was basically annulled across both the north and south hemispheres, which speaks volumes about how contagious COVID-19 is compared to influenza.

La pandémie de COVID-19, «le Tchernobyl du 21e siècle»

May 12, 2021

Le co-directeur du CMCM Simon Bacon parle avec le Journal de Montréal à propos de ce qu’aurait pu faire le fédéral pour établir un plan pancanadien clair.

COVID-19 is not influenza, but it offers lessons on beating it

May 12, 2021

The absence of a 2020-21 flu season shows how effective simple public health measures are at limiting virus transmission. A team of MBMC researchers show how in a new paper in the journal Frontiers in Public Health.

Loughborough University awarded £100k to research links between exercise and stress

April 29, 2021

Former MBMC postdoctoral researcher Nicola Paine leads a study that will look at how staying active can help maintain health during periods of stress.

La vaccination, un défi de transparence pour Québec

April 29, 2021

La Dre Kim Lavoie parle avec le Devoir à propos de la gestion de la transparence par les gouvernements en contexte de pandémie.

Appel au gros bon sens pour la vaccination : Entrevue avec Kim Lavoie

April 23, 2021

Psychologue Kim Lavoie explique que c’est plutôt le manque de précision sur les maladies et problèmes de santé admissibles qui risque de créer la confusion au sein de la population.

Pas d’experts en santé comportementale à la table de décision à Québec

April 22, 2021

Dre Kim Lavoie parle avec Le Devoir que contrairement à d’autres gouvernements — dont les gouvernements fédéral et ontarien —, Québec ne consulte pas directement des experts en santé comportementale depuis le début de la crise de la COVID-19.

Couvre-feu au Québec | Cette mesure est-elle soutenue scientifiquement?

April 21, 2021

Patrick Lagacé invite la Dre Kim Lavoie, entre autres, à débattre la pertinence du couvre-feu au Québec aux ondes de 98.5 FM à Montréal.

How are Quebecers really handling COVID-19 regulations?

April 14, 2021

Dr. Kim Lavoie talks to CJAD radio about the risks of inconsistent messages and how messaging is just as important as the measures themselves.

Majority of Quebecers say province too quick to ease public health guidelines: survey

April 14, 2021

Dr. Simon Bacon speaks to Global News about the rise in Montrealers in favour of strict COVID-19 regulations as well as resistance to changes in health regulations.

Earlier curfew hits Montreal’s usual springtime joy. Will it even work?

April 13, 2021

Simon Bacon, professor in behavioural science at Concordia University, is concerned the earlier curfew may frustrate Quebecers and make them less likely to follow public health regulations.

Le «yo-yo COVID» du gouvernement Legault, un jeu dangereux

April 9, 2021

« Le problème avec la perception du va-et-vient entre resserrement et allégement, c’est que ça laisse croire au public que le gouvernement n’a pas de plan, ou ne sait pas ce qu’il fait », selon la psychologue Kim Lavoie, titulaire de la Chaire de recherche du Canada en médecine comportementale.

Transmission communautaire: le congé pascal inquiète

April 6, 2021

La Dre Lavoie propose au gouvernement Legault d’établir un message « plus clair et cohérent », dont notamment à Québec de fournir aux citoyens « des objectifs clairs » à atteindre.

Québec’s COVID-19 messaging causing confusion?

April 5, 2021

Dr. Kim Lavoie talks to CTV News Montreal about the Legault government’s health messaging surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

La gestion pandémique du gouvernement est critiquée par la Dre Kim Lavoie

April 2, 2021

La Dre Kim Lavoie parle avec Robert Pilotte à l’émission radio Midi Plus sur les ondes des 106.9 Mauricie à propos de la gestion pandémique du gouvernement Legault.

COVID-19 : cinq régions sous «haute surveillance» au Québec

April 1, 2021

Pour Kim Lavoie, titulaire de la Chaire de recherche du Canada en médecine comportementale de l’UQAM, certaines incohérences dans les politiques gouvernementales expliquent en partie l’adhésion de moins en moins stricte aux consignes sanitaires.

Is Quebec’s mixed messaging on COVID-19 leading to defiance of directives?

April 1, 2021

Several studies have shown a population’s willingness to comply with public health directives correlates directly with its faith in government measures, said Simon Bacon, professor in Concordia University’s Department of Health, Kinesiology, and Applied Physiology and co-director of the Montreal Behavioural Medicine Centre.

« Est-ce la situation du Québec est pire qu’on le pense? »

April 1, 2021

Entrevue de Kim Lavoie, professeure de psychologie en médecine du comportement à l’UQAM à l’émission de Geneviève Pettersen : est-ce que la stratégie du gouvernement Legault mènera des gens à moins suivre les mesures sanitaires?

Le gouvernement Legault sévèrement blâmé pour sa gestion de crise

April 1, 2021

«La semaine passée, ils disaient qu’on résistait à la troisième vague … avec ce qui se passait autour de nous avec les variants, ce n’était pas le cas du tout», déplore en entrevue la Dre Kim Lavoie, titulaire de la chaire de recherche du Canada en médecine comportementale et professeure titulaire à l’UQAM.

La Dre Kim Lavoie parle de l’effet psychologique du début de la vaccination de masse

March 15, 2021

La Dre Kim Lavoie parle avec Geneviève Pettersen, chroniqueuse au Journal de Montréal, sur l’effet psychologique sur la population du début de la vaccination de masse.

What lessons have we learned a year into the COVID-19 pandemic?

March 15, 2021

Dr. Simon Bacon spoke with Global News about how mixed messages undermined the public’s trust. “One of the biggest problems, especially here in Quebec, has been the inconsistent messaging.”

Our collective trauma: How will the pandemic change us?

March 15, 2021

Dr. Simon Bacon talks to The Gazette and remarks how nearly all Canadians wear masks now which marks “a huge shift” from about two per cent initially. “There is an altruistic element of everyone pulling together.”

Experts say Quebecers may be less willing to comply with curfew as days get longer

March 13, 2021

“From a behavioral perspective, as the days get longer, it’s going to seem less and less natural to be in the house after a certain time,” said Dr. Kim Lavoie, who is currently studying adherence to COVID-19 measures around the world.

Dre Kim Lavoie parle de l’étude iCARE avec Living Lab Charlevoix

March 9, 2021

Dans le cadre d’un entretien enregistré via Zoom le lundi 22 février 2021 avec Living Lab Charlevoix, la Dre Kim Lavoie parle de l’étude iCARE et de ses diverses initiatives en lien avec la pandémie, entre autres.

Projet étudiant du CMCM financé pour mobiliser les jeunes dans la lutte contre la COVID-19

March 9, 2021

Le projet Vérité ou pandémie propose aux jeunes un jeu en ligne qui permet d’obtenir une nouvelle compréhension de la science liée à la COVID-19 et où nos comportements changent l’histoire.

COVID-19: L’opposition ne ménage plus ses critiques sur la Santé publique

February 22, 2021

Quoique l’on convienne qu’il s’agit du rôle des élus d’opposition de poser des questions aux membres du gouvernement sur la lutte contre la COVID-19, la Dre Lavoie invite les élus de l’opposition à jouer de prudence dans leurs interventions.

Le monde contre la COVID – Émission Découverte

February 8, 2021

Le Dr Simon Bacon a participé à une émission entièrement consacrée à la COVID-19 diffusée sur les ondes d’ICI Radio Canada où l’on parle des stratégies gagnantes et perdantes à travers le monde et au Canada.

Loosening COVID-19 restrictions could undermine recent progress, experts warn

February 3, 2021

Dr. Lavoie explains that her concern is we’re going to be right back where we started in three weeks, because we’re nowhere near where she thinks we need to be to justify any loosening of restrictions.

Too early to say if Quebec’s drop in COVID-19 cases will continue, experts say

January 19, 2021

“The big question is going to be will we see the upsurge in cases two weeks from now when schools are back in full flow as we saw in the September period,” Dr. Simon Bacon explained “My projection is we will see another week and a half of downward trend before it comes up again.”

Faire mieux grâce aux tests rapides de dépistage

January 14, 2021

Dre Kim Lavoie co-signataire d’un texte proposant plutôt que de se placer uniquement dans une logique diagnostique avec des tests de précision réalisés en laboratoire, les tests rapides permettent de développer une logique de santé publique et de gestion de risque.

Calling for more transparency about basis of health authority lockdown decisions

January 13, 2021

As Ontario moves into a new lockdown, Dr. Simon Bacon comments that the basis of these decisions should be communicated to improve adherence.

Cacher la vérité à la santé publique : un comportement prévisible, mais évitable

January 10, 2021

“La honte et la culpabilité sont des émotions négatives des plus fortes. C’est à la base de notre tendance à mentir”, explique la Dre Lavoie devant une proportion importante de gens atteints de la COVID-19 qui cachent de l’information à la santé publique.

Reconfiner le Québec : entrevue avec Kim Lavoie

January 8, 2021

Le Québec doit retourner en confinement : comment susciter l’adhésion de la population? Entrevue avec Kim Lavoie, titulaire de la chaire de recherche du Canada en médecine comportementale et professeure titulaire à l’UQAM.

Canadian doctors worry about school safety ahead of reopening

January 7, 2021

“What [the government mandates] sends a clear message about what is necessary,” said Dr. Lavoie, adding that keeping students home for four to six weeks would have a more meaningful impact on the spread of the virus than a week-to-week wait-and-see approach.

Quebeckers defy lockdown despite crackdown on rule breakers

December 28, 2020

Behavioural science expert, Dr. Simon Bacon, says Québec may need to change its decision to use fines as its approach to crackdown on those not following health measures.

Entrevue avec la Dre Kim Lavoie sur l’étude iCARE lors de l’évènement grand public du CIUSSS-NIM

December 16, 2020

Rencontrez des chercheur.e.s qui ont interrogé des personnes de partout dans le monde afin de savoir comment les gens ont vécu la pandémie et comment mieux vivre avec cette nouvelle réalité. En vedette : Dre Kim Lavoie et Vincent Gosselin Boucher

La pandémie exacerbe la détresse des plus démunis : les Fêtes et les mesures sanitaires

November 23, 2020

«Ce qu’on observe […] c’est que la pandémie ne fait qu’augmenter la disparité au niveau de la santé et des soins», explique la professeure de psychologie en médecine du comportement à l’UQAM, Kim Lavoie, en entrevue avec Geneviève Pettersen.

COVID-19: Deuxième vaccin prometteur et reconfinement

November 18, 2020

Suite à l’annonce de plus d’un vaccin prometteur, entrevue avec Kim Lavoie, professeure de psychologie en médecine comportementale à l’UQAM et Dre Cécile Tremblay, microbiologiste infectiologue au CHUM.

Schools have mostly stayed open amid COVID-19, but experts warn of winter flu season ahead

November 12, 2020

School-aged children and teens account for a growing percentage of Quebec’s rising COVID-19 case count — a worrying trend, said Kim Lavoie, professor and Canada Research Chair in behavioural medicine at the University of Quebec at Montreal.

Amid Jump In Coronavirus Infections, Canada Issues New Restrictions

October 16, 2020

Government leaders in Canada have asked people not to gather for Canadian Thanksgiving celebrations this weekend because coronavirus cases are rising in several provinces. Montreal-based behavioral scientist Kim Lavoie lays some blame on the provincial government’s messaging.

Félicitations à Kim Lavoie et Simon L. Bacon pour l’obtention de subventions des IRSC

October 16, 2020

Le CIUSSS-NIM félicite la Dre Kim Lavoie et le Dr Simon Bacon du Centre de médicine comportementale pour l’obtention de quatre nouvelles subventions des Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada.

Quebecers confused over new measures during first day of province’s partial lockdown

October 2, 2020

Thursday is day one of Quebec’s partial 28-day lockdown as new public health rules, but there’s still some confusion. Concordia University behavioural medicine professor Dr. Simon Bacon says the government can do better with its messaging.

COVIDArtQc, la première étape d’un parcours de murales à Lac-Mégantic

October 2, 2020

La murale COVIDArtQc à Lac-Mégantic, qui s’inspirera des travaux de la Dre Kim Lavoie, chercheuse en médecine comportementale, qui mène une étude sur les effets de la pandémie sur les comportements de la population mondiale, sera la première d’un ensemble de murales que la Commission des arts, de la culture et du patrimoine souhaite implanter … Read more

Coronavirus: Fears of supply shortages across Quebec prompt surge in shopping

October 1, 2020

Shoppers, retailers and health authorities have all observed a recent spike in shopping, as Canada’s second coronavirus wave and the prospect of impending lockdowns leave many concerned about grocery shortages. Dr. Simon Bacon, an expert in behavioural epidemiology at Concordia University says that there’s are a few reasons this kind of panic buying happens.

D’avril à juin, 30% moins de Canadiens suivaient les mesures sanitaires

September 20, 2020

Entrevue avec Kim Lavoie, professeure de psychologie en médecine du comportement à l’UQAM, sur QUB Radio

Est-ce que la pandémie a rendu les gens plus agressifs?

September 20, 2020

Entretien entre Jean-Pierre Charbonneau, ancien député du Parti Québécois, Kim Lavoie, professeur en psychologie à l’UQAM, titulaire de la CHAIRE de recherche du Canada en médecine comportementale, Patrick Senécal, dramaturge, Jean-Pierre Rancourt, avocat criminaliste et Annie-Soleil Proteau, animatrice aux ondes de 98.5 à Montréal.

A house divided: Father moving into basement as kids return to school

August 31, 2020

As many Montreal children return to school, some parents fear it could undermine months of efforts to keep their families safe, particularly in households where members of the family are at higher risk. As a professor conducting research on COVID-19, Dr. Kim Lavoie has long thought about how the pandemic is affecting children. But as … Read more

How to politely remind someone to wear a mask

August 24, 2020

Before educating about preventive behaviours, like mask wearing, consider if they really represent a threat to others. Guilt, shame and other aggressive and authoritarian approaches should be avoided. Professor Kim Lavoie advises being kind and expressing concerns, using a positive approach, rewarding good behaviors, and reminding that when people wore masks, the number of cases … Read more

Nouvelle chaire de recherche pour la Dre Kim Lavoie

July 30, 2020

L’UQAM a obtenu 3,9 millions de dollars pour la création de quatre Chaires de recherche du Canada. La professeure au Département de psychologie Kim Lavoie a obtenu une chaire de niveau 1 en médecine comportementale. Le programme de recherche développera et testera de nouvelles interventions comportementales pour améliorer les comportements de santé en contexte d’obésité, tout … Read more

Dans les bars : « Nous ne voulons pas parler de la COVID-19 »

July 27, 2020

Au Québec, le gouvernement réfléchit à la fermeture des bars qu’une cinquantaine de Montréalais s’y sont transmis le nouveau coronavirus. De nombreux pays à travers le monde se sont préoccupés de l’indiscipline dans les bars. « La perception de l’importance des mesures de prévention a beaucoup diminué entre mi-avril et mi-juin au Canada » , expose … Read more

Hugging, kissing, handshakes…not so fast.

July 22, 2020

How do you keep your distance in social settings? “I think people appreciate it is contagious but, I’m not sure they appreciate the potential problems from catching it, especially younger people who have generally been told that they will be fine (which is not actually the case,)” says Simon Bacon, behavioural medicine researcher at Concordia … Read more

How to deal with anti-maskers

July 22, 2020

Experts agree that wearing a mask is one way to slow the spread of COVID-19 until a treatment or vaccine is discovered. Still, many people refuse to wear one, saying it’s uncomfortable or a violation of their rights. We talk to behavioural psychologist Kim Lavoie about why we should all be wearing masks right now, … Read more

Why attitudes to masks have changed around the world

July 14, 2020

The number of governments recommending face coverings has gone up significantly over the past six months. The changes appear to be partly due to a better understanding of how Covid-19 spreads. There is more awareness that the risk of transmission is higher in poorly ventilated indoor spaces. Chair of behavioural medicine at the University of … Read more

Pandemic: Seven academics reflect on the moment they realized the world had changed.

July 13, 2020

Universities were among the first organizations to shut down in-person operations and pivot rapidly to remote teaching and learning in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic. “Our research area is behavioural medicine – preventing disease by motivating people to do things that may require some sacrifice. I realized how the efforts to control it were … Read more

Entrevue: Comment conscientiser les jeunes au risque de la COVID-19?

July 8, 2020

Animateur à ICI-RDI Christian Latreil discuter avec Dre Kim Lavoie. « La plupart des jeunes n’écoutent pas nécessairement les communiqués de presse du gouvernement. Il faut utiliser le média qui va vraiment les rejoindre. » Source: ICI-RDI (Radio-Canada) – Écouter l’entretien

Interview: Experts call for a change in messaging when recommending mask use

July 6, 2020

A Global News (Toronto) radio interview with Dr. Kim Lavoie about the importance of the right messaging when recommending mask use and in helping people to adopt and reinforce new behaviours. Source: Global News Radio (Toronto) – Listen to the interview

Everybody’s doing it: what it’s like to live in Montreal’s only mandatory-mask zone

July 6, 2020

As the debate over masks rages around them, people in Cote-Saint-Luc are available now to answer all your questions on mask-wearing. Their suburb officially went all-in on masks since July 1. Bylaws like this are interesting partly because they circumvent one of the major reasons psychologists say people aren’t wearing masks more frequently—that they just … Read more

What social science says about convincing people to wear masks during the COVID-19 pandemic

July 3, 2020

Protective behaviour may feel embarrassing at first, but changing the rules could help. Mandating, not just recommending, the use of non-medical masks will help convince more Canadians to wear them as the economy reopens, just as wearing seatbelts is now the norm, some social scientists and physicians say. But laws that require the wearing of … Read more

Concordia master’s student investigates the truth behind e-cigarettes and associated health risks

June 4, 2020

When electronic cigarettes first hit the market in the mid-2000s, they were marketed as a safe alternative to their combustible counterparts. And while manufacturers continue to make this argument, more and more scientific research is calling this claim into question.

COVID-19: les coureurs posent-ils un risque?

April 14, 2020

« Les coureurs que l’on croise en marchant sont-ils plus susceptibles de transmettre la COVID-19 parce qu’ils expulsent plus d’air et éventuellement de gouttelettes de salive, dû à l’effort de la course ? » Cette question revient souvent depuis les débuts de la pandémie.

Montreal researchers lead an international study of global prevention behaviours and responses

April 10, 2020

A global online survey led by researchers in Montreal is looking at how countries and their citizens are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is also examining how different government responses are affecting people’s awareness, attitudes and behaviours toward the disease. “The overall goal is to feed the data back to governments and health authorities … Read more

COVID-19: Some positive news during pandemic

April 9, 2020

Montreal researchers will compile data on the number of cases, recoveries and deaths worldwide, as well as examine the kinds of policies being enacted by different national governments. Four waves of pushes are planned, with a target to reach 100,000 respondents each time.

How to manage cabin fever in a COVID-19 world

March 26, 2020

Social distancing and quarantine protocols may cause anxiety in some. While cabin fever is not a clinical diagnosis, Dr. Kim Lavoie, who is Chair of Behavioral Medicine at the University of Quebec at Montreal and Co-Director of the Montreal Behavioral Medicine Centre, says those who are used to busy, social, and active lifestyles may be … Read more

From Lowering Cancer Risk To Easing Pain, 5 Benefits Of Exercising Regularly

October 21, 2019

Some exercise is better than none and more is better than less. Even a short duration of physical activity could be enough to reduce depression, senior study author Simon Bacon of Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, said. “To some degree our study reinforces this point,” the researcher added.

Studying the worldwide phenomenon of vaping and its dangers

October 15, 2019

In a puff of smoke, vaping has become a worldwide phenomenon. As more dimly-lit electronic cigarette stores set up shop across Montreal, Concordia University Health and Exercise Science masters students, Tasfia Tasbih and Florent Larue, aim to demystify the consequences of using e-cigarettes.

Concordia researcher investigates the real risks of e-cigarette use

October 1, 2019

Concordia Master’s student and MBMC researcher Tasfia Tasbih is studying the prevalence of cardiorespiratory illnesses among men and women who vape. “Most e-cigarette devices contain some of the harmful constituents of regular cigarettes,” explains Tasbih.

How grief, divorce can really tax the heart

June 2, 2019

Research has found links between mental health conditions and poorer cardiovascular health. The findings do not prove that stress disorders actually triggered heart complications but there are reasons to believe they contributed, according to Simon Bacon, co-director of the Montreal Behavioral Medicine Center and author of an editorial published with the study.

Swedish Sibling Study: High Stress Drives Up Your Risk Of A Heart Attack

April 14, 2019

Research shows that those of us who perceive a lot of stress in our lives are at higher risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems over the long term. […] The latest evidence comes from a new study of siblings in Sweden. “When people have stress disorders, these systems are being activated at all … Read more

Stress Disorders Linked to CV Disease (biggest risk seen soon after diagnosis)

April 10, 2019

The connection between mood disorders like depression and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease are “well established,” and a robust, albeit slightly contentious, literature connects cardiovascular disease with anxiety disorders. However, information is limited on the link between cardiovascular disease and other psychiatric disorders, noted Simon Bacon, MSc, PhD, of Concordia University in Montreal, in … Read more

The raging battle for free access to research findings

April 9, 2019

Dr. Robert M. Kaplan, colleague of MBMC Co-Directors Kim Lavoie, PhD and Simon Bacon, PhD, writes an op-ed article in the LA Times about the University of California reaching an impasse with one of the world’s biggest publishers of academic journals over whether the company’s publications would be included in the university’s digital library. Source: … Read more

Aerobic exercise eases depression, even in chronically ill

March 7, 2019

People with chronic health problems who suffer from depression may find their mood improve when they do aerobic exercise, a research review suggests. “One of the key messages that we see often around aerobic exercise is: something is better than nothing and more is better than less,” said senior study author Dr. Simon Bacon of … Read more

Albertans are on the verge of having instant access to some medical records

February 19, 2019

Canadians have a right to see what’s inside their medical records. It’s well established in Canadian law. But it isn’t always easy. While Alberta’s patient portal is expected to come with links to information about the tests and the results, Kim Lavoie, a clinical health psychologist and researcher at the University of Quebec in Montreal, wonders if … Read more

MBMC researchers continue to contribute to patient-oriented research

February 18, 2019

MBMC researchers continue working on the forefront of patient-oriented health research as demonstrated in newly published research and reports. Read more…

MBMC Co-Directors serving as jury members for a Manulife Prize

February 18, 2019

MBMC co-directors Drs. Simon Bacon and Kim Lavoie will serve as jury members for the 2019 Manulife Prize for the Promotion of Active Health.

Appel à la tolérance : Témoignage sur la grossophobie

February 17, 2019

Anouch, victime de grossophobie, nous parle de ce phénomène tristement répandu et appelle à la tolérance. Un témoignage partagé sur Facebook par un membre du Centre de médecine comportementale de Montréal Voir le témoignage On vous invite d’ailleurs à découvrir l’association Gras Politique qui lutte contre ce fléau !  

Les antidépresseurs, bons pour la tête et le cœur

December 11, 2018

Prendre des antidépresseurs aurait des effets bénéfiques pour la santé mentale, mais aussi pour le cœur, selon une récente étude québécoise menée par Kim Lavoie, du Département de psychologie de l’UQAM. Une bonne chose si c’est exact car, comme le tabac et la sédentarité, la dépression s’avère un des facteurs de risque de troubles cardiovasculaires. … Read more

MBMC co-directors continue as leaders in their field

September 12, 2018

MBMC Co-Directors served on expert committees in the establishment of 2018 clinical guidelines with Hypertension Canada and Diabetes Canada, as well as in identifying research priorities for behavioural trials.

Dr. Simon Bacon participates in the CCC debate series

August 27, 2018

MBMC Co-Director Dr. Simon Bacon was in Vancouver at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress in October 2017 to participate in a debate about the use of e-cigarettes as a harm reduction strategy alongside other pharmacotherapies and behavioural interventions.

Dr. Kim Lavoie part of “Dream Team” investigating opioid prescribing

August 20, 2018

Doctors in Canada prescribe more opioids per capita than any other country, though their risks are well-known and long-term benefits unclear. Non-opioid alternative therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, are often cited by many national guidelines as treatment alternatives.

MBMC Co-Directors Drs. Kim Lavoie and Simon Bacon speak at the Montreal March for Science

August 29, 2017

Watch Drs. Kim Lavoie and Simon Bacon speak during the Montreal March for Science held in April 2017 (videos)

Public Lecture: Patient-Oriented Research in Diabetes

June 16, 2017

During her talk, Dr Molly Byrne will discuss strengths and challenges of stakeholder-engaged research. She will talk about a number of studies she has conducted, all which have used strategies to engage end-users of the research. These include a research prioritisation exercise which sought the views of people with diabetes, services providers and policy makers … Read more

Behavioural Medicine in the Spotlight for its Role in Chronic Disease Prevention

June 14, 2017

Both Dr. Lavoie and Dr. Bacon’s work has long been focused on increasing the visibility and impact of behavioural science in health science research. Both newly appointed to research chairs, they are poised continue promoting the vast potential of this field of medicine in addressing one of the world’s most important health challenges, chronic diseases. … Read more

Médecine comportementale : la psychologie vient à la rescousse

May 25, 2017

Trop souvent, le comportement d’un patient va à l’encontre de son propre bien. Comment expliquer, par exemple, que 65 % des médicaments prescrits par des spécialistes de la santé ne sont pas consommés? Certains patients font de l’évitement, car ils n’aiment pas l’idée d’être malades, tandis que d’autres avec des conditions qui n’ont, la plupart … Read more

Comment mieux prévenir les maladies chroniques

May 24, 2017

Les maladies chroniques sont responsables pour le plus haut taux de mortalité au monde. Comment peut-on arriver à mieux les prévenir mais aussi à reconnaitre les comportements qui nous mènent vers les maladies chroniques?

Quand les mauvaises habitudes rendent malade

May 24, 2017

Les maladies chroniques ont beaucoup de facteurs de risque comportementaux et psychologiques communs. Parmi eux, il y a le tabagisme, la mauvaise alimentation, l’inactivité physique, la sédentarité, la surconsommation d’alcool et le stress.

Public Evening Conference on Pneumology

April 11, 2017

A great evening conference showcasing the great work of Hôpital Sacré-Coeur’s pneumology department and researchers – including those from the Montreal Behavioural Medicine Centre (MBMC).

In denial: Why do we often ignore medical symptoms, when we know better?

January 17, 2017

Ignoring symptoms of a disease with a high mortality rate is a surprisingly common phenomenon, says Dr. Kim Lavoie, co-director of the Montreal Behavioural Medicine Centre and a psychology professor at the University of Quebec at Montreal. “People will cognitively avoid things they don’t want to be real; it’s a natural defence mechanism,” she says.

Just 30 minutes a day: Regular exercise relieves asthma symptoms

October 12, 2015

Millions of people suffer from asthma. Many report having poor control of their symptoms. Fortunately, new research shows there is a simple antidote: 30 minutes of exercise a day, year-round.

Aerobic exercise helpful for asthma

July 17, 2015

Health | Fri Jul 17, 2015 1:22pm EDT By Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) – People with moderate to severe asthma who add aerobic exercise to their treatment regimen may have an easier time controlling common symptoms than people who rely on drugs alone, a small study suggests. Patients randomly assigned to a three-month treadmill exercise … Read more

New Vaccine Poll – Measles outbreak won’t sway parents to get kids vaccinated

March 11, 2015

Dr. Kim Lavoie talks to CTV News Montreal about the emotional component of parents’ choice not to vaccinate their kids

Hypertension & Lifestyle Modifications

December 13, 2014

Talk by Dr. Simon Bacon “Lifestyle Modification as a Prescription for Hypertension” in which he talks about, in particular, physical exercise and stress management.

La pensée positive peut-elle aider à guérir ?

March 9, 2014

La force de notre pensée peut-elle nous aider à guérir? Très en vogue, ce courant de pensée est fort séduisant. Mais est-il fondé? Les preuves sont insuffisantes: «Je crois honnêtement que le lien existe probablement, mais pour prouver cela, les études devront être réalisées sur une longue période…», explique Kim Lavoie

Active seniors more likely to ‘age successfully’

November 25, 2013

People who take up fitness later in life are more likely to “age successfully” and stay healthy compared with those who remain couch potatoes, a large British study finds.

Living with children linked to less exercise

July 20, 2010

Published in: theGlobeandMail.com | Globe Life | July 20, 2010 A study conducted at the Montreal Heart Institute has yielded a surprising result – living with children is linked to a reduction in physical activity. Concordia University professor Doctor Simon L. Bacon led the study with included 7556 participants. The study assessed the impact of … Read more

Déceler le trouble panique chez les travailleurs ayant des problèmes respiratoires

June 23, 2010

Les objectifs de la thèse sont d’évaluer la prévalence du trouble panique (TP) chez une population de travailleurs et d’en mesurer l’influence sur le plan médical, la symptomatologie et les répercussions sur la qualité de vie.

Vivre avec des enfants: c’est pas du sport!

June 21, 2010

Publié sur: Le Devoir.com | 21 juillet 2010 Société / Santé / En bref Vivre avec des enfants ne permet pas de maintenir la forme. Au contraire, cette situation est associée à une pratique de l’activité physique réduite. Le constat émane d’une étude menée à l’Institut de cardiologie de Montréal (ICM). Des chercheurs ont voulu … Read more

Better education associated with improved asthma

December 17, 2009

ScienceDaily | December 17, 2009 Individuals with more education suffer less from asthma. Researchers writing in BioMed Central’s open access journal Respiratory Research have found that having less than 12 years of formal schooling is associated with worse asthma symptoms. Drs. Kim Lavoie and Simon Bacon from the Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, Canada, worked … Read more

Drs. Bacon and Lavoie with their daughter

All in the Family

September 23, 2009

Dr. Lavoie serves on the HFSC scientific review committee. A study by Dr. Bacon investigating anxiety disorders, depression, and their links to high blood pressure was featured in a news release from the 2008 Canadian Cardiovascular Congress, hosted in part by the HSFC. They met in 2001 when Dr. Bacon, from England, and Dr. Lavoie, … Read more

Five medical reasons you need to stress less

June 8, 2009

By Janet Rowe | Homemakers.com | June 8, 2009 All that worry and anxiety can really put a strain on your body and make you sick. Find out why prioritizing stress relief may be just what the doctor ordered. Why stress is bad for your health A temperamental teen. Moving day and half the house … Read more

Anxiety disorders latest worry in high blood pressure

October 27, 2008

TORONTO, Oct. 27, 2008 / CNW Telbec Family doctors and psychiatrists should carefully monitor the heart health of patients with anxiety disorders, Dr. Simon Bacon told the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2008, co-hosted by the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society. “People with anxiety disorders are four times more likely to develop high … Read more

Gene study: Exercise may not improve mood

March 17, 2008

The widely accepted view that exercise helps dispel depression and anxiety is misleading, since a common set of genes makes the most mentally healthy also the most prone to exercising.

Awareness of heart pain reflected in woman’s age

March 12, 2008

By Marilyn Elias, USA TODAY | usatoday.com | March 12, 2008 Younger women with coronary blockages that raise their risk for heart attacks are less likely than post-menopausal women to feel chest pain with exercise, a key warning signal for heart disease, a study suggested Wednesday. Although women usually don’t have first heart attacks until … Read more

Tension can Break Hearts

September 21, 2004

By Susan Hayes | Prevention.com | September 21, 2004 Protect your blood-pumping muscle by increasing relaxation and exercise time Garden-variety stress–little spats, minor frustrations, short-lived blue moods–can raise your odds for fatal and irregular heartbeats, new research suggests. When 135 heart patients tracked their moods for 2 days while wearing portable heart monitors, scientists found … Read more

Happiness Makes a Heart Beat Longer

April 26, 2004

By Jerome Burne, Times Online | timesonline.co.uk | April 26, 2004 Encouraging positive emotions has significant health benefits, a new study shows It has long been recognised that positive emotions are linked with living longer and negative ones with a poorer outcome. What has not been so clear is why: only last week, for instance, … Read more