Michaela Hynie is a professor in the Department of Psychology and resident faculty in the Centre for Refugee Studies at York University. Dr. Hynie conducts interdisciplinary multi-method community-based research on social determinants of health with communities experiencing social conflict, social exclusion, or forced displacement and migration. This work includes the development and evaluation of social, institutional and/or policy interventions that can improve mental health and well-being. Funded by CIHR, Grand Challenges Canada, IDRC, and SSHRC, her work has been situated in Canada, the Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Kenya Liberia, Nepal, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and South Africa. Recent projects include research on maternal mental health in Rwanda; access to health care for refugees in Canada and in South Africa; and the relationship between state refugee policies and health and well-being in Canada, Germany and South Africa. Dr. Hynie is the past president of the Canadian Association for Refugee and Forced Migration Studies.
Research keywords:
Social determinants of health; social determinants of mental health; forced migration; health care access; maternal mental health
You may also be interested in...
York PhD student to advise UN on water, health equity
Originally published by YFile (15 May 2026) By Anesa Albert A York University doctoral researcher will help inform international policy on equitable access to water and sanitation as part of an international advisory group. Michael ...Read more about this Post
Hot off the Press – Recent Publications by Dahdaleh Institute Researchers
Research by Dahdaleh Institute Research Fellow James Stinson and his partners has been featured as a case study by the Canadian Climate Institute as part of their "Indigenous Perspectives" series, which showcases exemplary Indigenous work ...Read more about this Post
Highlighting the SWOT’s Risk-Based Approach at the 2022 Emergency Environmental Health Forum
Dahdaleh Institute member Michael DeSanti is presenting on the innovative Safe Water Optimization Tool (SWOT) at the 2022 Emergency Environmental Health Forum. He will discuss SWOT’s risk-based approach to generating chlorination guidance to ensure safe ...Read more about this Post