Anita Ho, PhD, MPH

Title(s)Associate Professor, Institute for Health & Aging
SchoolSchool of Nursing
ORCID ORCID Icon0000-0002-9797-1326 Additional info
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    Collapse Education and Training
    University of California, Berkeley, USAMPHHealth Policy/Management
    University of Alberta, CanadaPhDPhilosophy
    University of Alberta, CanadaMMusPiano Performance
    Dalhousie University, CanadaMAPhilosophy
    Saint Mary's University, CanadaBAPhilosophy
    Saint Mary's University, CanadaBCommMarketing

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    Anita Ho (PhD, MPH) is a bioethicist and health services researcher with a unique combined academic training and experience in philosophy, clinical/organizational ethics, public health, and business. (She is also a classically trained pianist, with a Master degree in piano performance, trying to decide what she will do when she grows up!) Anita is currently an Associate Professor at the UCSF Bioethics Program and a Clinical Associate Professor at the Centre for Applied Ethics at the University of British Columbia. She is also the Vice President of Ethics (Northern California Division) for CommonSpirit Health. Between 2014 and 2017, Anita was Associate Professor and the Director of Undergraduate Ethics Education at the Centre for Biomedical Ethics at the National University of Singapore School of Medicine.

    An international scholar and author of more than 90 publications, Anita is an elected fellow of The Hastings Center. Her current research focuses on ethical dimensions of utilizing innovative and artificial intelligence technologies in health care, research and trial design ethics, supportive decision making, and end-of-life care decisions. She is particularly interested in systemic and social justice issues arising in health care. Her broader research areas include trust and decision making in clinical and research medicine, family-centered care, health-care resource allocation and disparity, organizational and system ethics in health care, cross-cultural and global health ethics, professional-patient relationship, ethics education for health professionals, disability and pain experiences, and various concepts of autonomy. Her book, Live Like Nobody is Watching: Relational Autonomy in the Age of Artificial Intelligence Health Monitoring, was published by Oxford University Press in May 2023.

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    Clinical Providers' Perspectives on Ethical Implications of Utilizing Mortality Prediction Algorithms in End-of-Life Care
    St. Paul Foundation Mar 1, 2024 - Feb 28, 2026
    Role: Principal Investigator
    Data Science and Health: Mapping an Educational Trajectory and Building a Collaborative Framework
    University of British Columbia Jan 1, 2021 - Dec 31, 2021
    Role: Co-Investigator
    Virtual Innovative health Strategies through Interdisciplinary co-Operative Network (VISION)
    Health Research BC Sep 1, 2019 - Aug 31, 2020
    Role: Co-Investigator
    Reasonable Trust: Fostering Humanities Methods in Public Engagement with Science and Technology
    University of British Columbia Sep 1, 2019 - Aug 31, 2020
    Role: Co-Investigator
    Confidential Automatic Monitoring, Examination, and Recognition of disease Activity (CAMERA): Application to Parkinson and Alzheimer Diseases
    Canadian Institutes of Health Research/Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council/Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Apr 1, 2019 - Mar 31, 2023
    Role: Co-Investigator
    Promoting Ethical Design and Data Integrity for Cluster Trials
    BC SUPPORT UNIT Apr 1, 2019 - Mar 30, 2022
    Role: Principal Investigator
    Navigating End-of-Life Care After MAiD: Palliative and Hospice Care Providers' Experience
    St. Paul's Foundation Sep 1, 2018 - Aug 31, 2022
    Role: Principal Investigator
    The Ethics of Pain Research, Management, and Policy
    Canadian Institutes of Health Research Sep 1, 2018 - Aug 31, 2019
    Role: Co-Investigator
    An Ethical Approach to Routine Tragic Choices: Radiotherapy Allocation in Rwanda
    Greenwall Foundation Apr 1, 2018 - Mar 30, 2020
    Role: Senior Mentor
    Supportive Decision Making for Diverse Populations
    Canadian Institutes of Health Research Apr 1, 2012 - Mar 31, 2017
    Role: Principal Investigator
    Relational Autonomy and Decision Making: Improving Clinical Trial Enrolment in Cancer Care
    Canadian Institutes of Health Research Sep 1, 2011 - Aug 30, 2013
    Role: Co-Investigator
    Harnessing Indivenous Botanical Knowledge for Pest Control and Improved Nutrition on Smallholder Farms in Rwanda
    Canadian International Development Agency Jan 1, 2011 - Dec 31, 2011
    Role: Co-Investigator
    Trust, Trustworthiness, and Relational Autonomy in Medicine
    Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Apr 1, 2008 - Mar 31, 2012
    Role: Principal Investigator

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    Collapse Publications
    Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Researchers can login to make corrections and additions, or contact us for help. to make corrections and additions.
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    Altmetrics Details PMC Citations indicate the number of times the publication was cited by articles in PubMed Central, and the Altmetric score represents citations in news articles and social media. (Note that publications are often cited in additional ways that are not shown here.) Fields are based on how the National Library of Medicine (NLM) classifies the publication's journal and might not represent the specific topic of the publication. Translation tags are based on the publication type and the MeSH terms NLM assigns to the publication. Some publications (especially newer ones and publications not in PubMed) might not yet be assigned Field or Translation tags.) Click a Field or Translation tag to filter the publications.
    1. Digital Companions to Combat Loneliness and Social Isolation: Ethics Concerns and Policy Recommendations. Hastings Center Report. 2024; 1(54):7-12. Jecker N, Sparrow R, Lederman Z, Ho A. . View Publication.
    2. Ethical dilemmas in prioritizing patients for scarce radiotherapy resources. BMC Med Ethics. 2024 01 31; 25(1):12. DeBoer RJ, Ho A, Mutoniwase E, Nguyen C, Umutesi G, Bigirimana JB, Nsabimana N, Van Loon K, Shulman LN, Triedman SA, Cubaka VK, Shyirambere C. PMID: 38297294; PMCID: PMC10829165.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    
    3. Ethical Concerns Around Privacy and Data Security in AI Health Monitoring for Parkinson’s Disease: Insights from Patients, Family Members, and Healthcare Professionals. AI & Society. 2024. 10. Bavli I, Ho A, Mahal R, McKeown. View Publication.
    4. Navigating Informed Consent Requirements and Expectations in Cluster Randomized Trials: Perspectives of Research Ethics Board Members and Researcher. Ethics & Human Research. 2023; 6(45):31-45. Ho A, Joolaee S, McDonald M, Grant D, White M, Longstaff H, Palsson E. View Publication.
    5. Multi-Level Ethical Considerations of Artificial Intelligence Health Monitoring for People Living with Parkinson’s Disease. . 2023. AJOB Empirical Bioethics. 2023. Ho A, Bavli I, Mahal R, McKeown, MJ. View Publication.
    6. Palliative care providers' roles in medical assistance in dying decision-making triads with patients and families: A qualitative analysis. Palliat Support Care. 2023 Oct 11; 1-6. Serota K, Hubert M, Joolaee S, Ho A. PMID: 37817326.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    
    7. What We Owe Those Who Chat Woe: A Relational Lens for Mental Health Apps. Am J Bioeth. 2023 10; 23(10):77-80. Ho A, Perry J. PMID: 37812122.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    Translation:Humans
    8. Moral uncertainty and distress about voluntary assisted dying prior to legalisation and the implications for post-legalisation practice: a qualitative study of palliative and hospice care providers in Queensland, Australia. BMJ Open. 2023 05 09; 13(5):e065964. Kirchhoffer DG, Lui CW, Ho A. PMID: 37160397; PMCID: PMC10410955.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    Translation:Humans
    9. Live Like Nobody is Watching: Relational Autonomy in the Age of Artificial Intelligence Health Monitoring. 2023. Ho, Anita. View Publication.
    10. Can Public Health Investment and Oversight save Digital Mental Health? AJOB Neurosci. 2022 Jul-Sep; 13(3):201-203. Ho A. PMID: 35797129.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    Translation:HumansPHPublic Health
    11. Unmasking the Ethics of Public Health Messaging in a Pandemic. J Bioeth Inq. 2021 12; 18(4):549-559. Ho A, Huang V. PMID: 34559377; PMCID: PMC8461593.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 5     Fields:    Translation:HumansCellsPHPublic Health
    12. How does Medical Assistance in Dying affect end-of-life care planning discussions? Experiences of Canadian multidisciplinary palliative care providers. Palliat Care Soc Pract. 2021; 15:26323524211045996. Ho A, Norman JS, Joolaee S, Serota K, Twells L, William L. PMID: 34568826; PMCID: PMC8458666.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 4  
    13. Medical assistance in dying legislation: Hospice palliative care providers' perspectives. Nurs Ethics. 2022 Feb; 29(1):231-244. Joolaee S, Ho A, Serota K, Hubert M, Buchman DZ. PMID: 34538192; PMCID: PMC8866752.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 5     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    14. Procedural fairness for radiotherapy priority setting in a low resource context. Bioethics. 2022 06; 36(5):500-510. DeBoer RJ, Nguyen C, Mutoniwase E, Ho A, Umutesi G, Bigirimana JB, Triedman SA, Shyirambere C. PMID: 34415636; PMCID: PMC9292884.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 2     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    15. Moral Distress and Resilience Associated with Cancer Care Priority Setting in a Resource-Limited Context. Oncologist. 2021 07; 26(7):e1189-e1196. DeBoer RJ, Mutoniwase E, Nguyen C, Ho A, Umutesi G, Nkusi E, Sebahungu F, Van Loon K, Shulman LN, Shyirambere C. PMID: 33969927; PMCID: PMC8265342.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 5     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    16. Towards Equitable AI Interventions for People Who Use Drugs: Key Areas That Require Ethical Investment. J Addict Med. 2021 04 01; 15(2):96-98. Ti L, Ho A, Knight R. PMID: 32833747.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    17. Relational solidarity and COVID-19: an ethical approach to disrupt the global health disparity pathway. Glob Bioeth. 2021 Mar 15; 32(1):34-50. Ho A, Dascalu I. PMID: 33795927; PMCID: PMC7971301.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3  
    18. The Surprise Question and Serious Illness Conversations: A pilot study. Nurs Ethics. 2021 Sep; 28(6):1010-1025. Le K, Lee J, Desai S, Ho A, van Heukelom H. PMID: 33686904.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    19. Are we ready for artificial intelligence health monitoring in elder care? BMC Geriatr. 2020 09 21; 20(1):358. Ho A. PMID: 32957946; PMCID: PMC7504871.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 30     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    20. The Seismic Shift in End-of-Life Care: Palliative Care Challenges in the Era of Medical Assistance in Dying. J Palliat Med. 2021 02; 24(2):189-194. Ho A, Joolaee S, Jameson K, Ng C. PMID: 32584638.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 12     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    21. Taking Family-Centered Care Seriously. Am J Bioeth. 2020 06; 20(6):65-67. Ho A. PMID: 32441599.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 5     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    22. Global Disparity and Solidarity in a Pandemic. Hastings Cent Rep. 2020 May; 50(3):65-67. Ho A, Dascalu I. PMID: 32596908; PMCID: PMC7362165.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 4     Fields:    Translation:HumansCellsPHPublic Health
    23. Gatekeeping in cancer clinical trials in Canada: The ethics of recruiting the "ideal" patient. Cancer Med. 2020 06; 9(12):4107-4113. Bell JAH, Kelly MT, Gelmon K, Chi K, Ho A, Rodney P, Balneaves LG. PMID: 32314549; PMCID: PMC7300392.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 7     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    24. Social Determinants of Mental Health and Physician Aid-in-Dying: The Real Moral Crisis. Am J Bioeth. 2019 Oct; 19(10):52-54. Ho A, Norman JS. PMID: 31566494.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    25. Deep Ethical Learning: Taking the Interplay of Human and Artificial Intelligence Seriously. Hastings Cent Rep. 2019 01; 49(1):36-39. Ho A. PMID: 30790317.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 9     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    26. Facilitating co-learning of medical ethical issues using Facebook. Med Educ. 2018 May; 52(5):560-561. Ho A, Hee N, Teo R. PMID: 29672945.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    Translation:Humans
    27. Leaving patients to their own devices? Smart technology, safety and therapeutic relationships. BMC Med Ethics. 2018 03 06; 19(1):18. Ho A, Quick O. PMID: 29510750; PMCID: PMC5840769.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 19     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    28. ISPOR Code of Ethics 2017 (4th Edition). Value Health. 2017 12; 20(10):1227-1242. Santos J, Palumbo F, Molsen-David E, Willke RJ, Binder L, Drummond M, Ho A, Marder WD, Parmenter L, Sandhu G, Shafie AA, Thompson D. PMID: 29241881.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 6     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    29. Sowing the SEED for Patient Empowerment. Am J Bioeth. 2017 11; 17(11):42-45. Ho A, Jameson K, Eiser A. PMID: 29111939.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    30. Reconciling Patient Safety and Epistemic Humility: An Ethical Use of Opioid Treatment Plans. Hastings Cent Rep. 2017 May; 47(3):34-35. Ho A. PMID: 28543418.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    31. Investigating Trust, Expertise, and Epistemic Injustice in Chronic Pain. J Bioeth Inq. 2017 Mar; 14(1):31-42. Buchman DZ, Ho A, Goldberg DS. PMID: 28005251.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 36     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    32. Assessment of Capacity to Consent by Nurses Who Deliver Health Care to Patients Who Misuse Substances. Glob Qual Nurs Res. 2016 Jan-Dec; 3:2333393616671076. Taylor D, Ho A, Mâsse LC, Van Borek N, Li N, Patterson M, Ogilvie G, Buxton JA. PMID: 28462344; PMCID: PMC5342852.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:
    33. An exploratory study of interprofessional collaboration in end-of-life decision-making beyond palliative care settings. J Interprof Care. 2016 Nov; 30(6):795-803. Ho A, Jameson K, Pavlish C. PMID: 27436606.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 15     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    34. Making good death more accessible: end-of-life care in the intensive care unit. Intensive Care Med. 2016 Aug; 42(8):1258-60. Ho A, Tsai DF. PMID: 27260257.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 6     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    35. Preventive Ethics Through Expanding Education. HEC Forum. 2016 Mar; 28(1):69-74. Ho A, MacDonald LM, Unger D. PMID: 25752297.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 2     Fields:    Translation:HumansPHPublic Health
    36. You Present like a Drug Addict: Patient and Clinician Perspectives on Trust and Trustworthiness in Chronic Pain Management. Pain Med. 2016 08; 17(8):1394-406. Buchman DZ, Ho A, Illes J. PMID: 26759389; PMCID: PMC4975016.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 31     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    37. Racism and Bioethics: Are We Part of the Problem? Am J Bioeth. 2016; 16(4):23-5. Ho A. PMID: 26982916.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    38. [Redéfinir le leadership éthique dans le système de santé du XXIe siècle]. Healthc Manage Forum. 2016 Jan; 29(1):43-6. Ho A, Pinney S. PMID: 26715693.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    
    39. The Puck Stops Here: Taking Organizational Accountability Seriously. Healthc Q. 2016; 18(4):20-4. Pinney S, Ho A. PMID: 27009703.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    Translation:Humans
    40. Redefining ethical leadership in a 21st-century healthcare system. Healthc Manage Forum. 2016 Jan; 29(1):39-42. Ho A, Pinney S. PMID: 26656391.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    41. When Frail Individuals or Their Families Request Nonindicated Interventions: Usefulness of the Four-Box Ethical Approach. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2015 Aug; 63(8):1674-8. Ho A, Spencer M, McGuire M. PMID: 26200024.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    42. Ethical concerns in caring for elderly patients with cognitive limitations: a capacity-adjusted shared decision-making approach. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2015 Feb 04; 97(3):e16. Ho A, Pinney SJ, Bozic K. PMID: 25653332.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 6     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    43. Power hierarchy and epistemic injustice in clinical ethics consultation. Am J Bioeth. 2015; 15(1):40-2. Ho A, Unger D. PMID: 25562225.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 2     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    44. What's trust got to do with it? Revisiting opioid contracts. J Med Ethics. 2014 Oct; 40(10):673-7. Buchman DZ, Ho A. PMID: 24014642.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 20     Fields:    Translation:HumansPHPublic Health
    45. A brief tool to assess capacity to consent for medical care among homeless individuals with problematic substance use: study protocol. Arch Public Health. 2013 May 08; 71(1):11. Taylor D, Masse L, Ho A, Rekart ML, Tyndall M, Henry B, Clifton J, Peters L, Ogilvie G, Buxton J. PMID: 23651056; PMCID: PMC3651044.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:
    46. Genetic counseling and the ethical issues around direct to consumer genetic testing. J Genet Couns. 2012 Jun; 21(3):367-73. Hawkins AK, Ho A. PMID: 22290190.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 14     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    47. Health and human rights advocacy: perspectives from a Rwandan refugee camp. Nurs Ethics. 2012 Jul; 19(4):538-49. Pavlish C, Ho A, Rounkle AM. PMID: 22496055.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    48. Behavioral and psychological symptoms in moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease: a palliative care approach emphasizing recognition of personhood and preservation of dignity. J Alzheimers Dis. 2012; 29(1):1-13. Passmore MJ, Ho A, Gallagher R. PMID: 22207006.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 6     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    49. Lessons from predictive testing for Huntington disease: 25 years on. J Med Genet. 2011 Oct; 48(10):649-50. Hawkins AK, Ho A, Hayden MR. PMID: 21931167.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 4     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    50. The physician as health advocate: translating the quest for social responsibility into medical education and practice. Acad Med. 2011 Sep; 86(9):1108-13. Dharamsi S, Ho A, Spadafora SM, Woollard R. PMID: 21785306.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 57     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    51. Oncologists' view of informed consent and shared decision making in paediatric radiation oncology. Radiother Oncol. 2012 Feb; 102(2):210-3. Olson RA, Bobinski MA, Ho A, Goddard KJ. PMID: 21889223.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    52. Authenticity as a necessary condition for voluntary choice: a case study in cancer clinical trial participation. Am J Bioeth. 2011 Aug; 11(8):33-5. Bell J, Ho A. PMID: 21806437.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    53. Comments and response on the USPSTF recommendation on screening for breast cancer. Ann Intern Med. 2010 Apr 20; 152(8):542-3; author reply 543-4. Ho A. PMID: 20157107.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:HumansPHPublic Health
    54. Pathway to social justice: research on human rights and gender-based violence in a Rwandan refugee cAMP. ANS Adv Nurs Sci. 2009 Apr-Jun; 32(2):144-57. Pavlish C, Ho A. PMID: 19461231.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    55. Human rights barriers for displaced persons in southern Sudan. J Nurs Scholarsh. 2009; 41(3):284-92. Pavlish C, Ho A. PMID: 19723277.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    Translation:Humans
    56. Correcting social ills through mandatory research participation. Am J Bioeth. 2008 Oct; 8(10):39-40. Ho A. PMID: 19003706.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    57. Relational autonomy or undue pressure? Family's role in medical decision-making. Scand J Caring Sci. 2008 Mar; 22(1):128-35. Ho A. PMID: 18269432.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 75     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    58. Using family members as interpreters in the clinical setting. J Clin Ethics. 2008; 19(3):223-33. Ho A. PMID: 19004432.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 10     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    59. Family and informed consent in multicultural setting. Am J Bioeth. 2006 Jan-Feb; 6(1):26-8; discussion W27-8. Ho A. PMID: 16423783.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 4     Fields:    Translation:Humans
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