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About

Current Position :

Professor

 Degrees:

  • Ph.D. Public Health Sciences (Epidemiology), University of Alberta (2009)
  • MSc Community Health and Epidemiology, University of Saskatchewan (2002)
  • BSc Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University (1998
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Josh Lawson is a Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Canada. His research is based out of the Canadian Centre for Rural and Agricultural Health (CCRAH), at the University of Saskatchewan. His training is from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver (BSc), the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon (MSc), and the University of Alberta in Edmonton (PhD). Throughout his training he has focussed on epidemiology and biostatistics. His primary areas of interest are pediatric asthma and respiratory epidemiology but he is also interested in various aspects of child health, lung health, and rural health. The majority of his research program is focussed on the urban-rural gradient and the reasons for geographic variation in childhood asthma. He has been involved in several population based studies as well as studies using large administrative and research based databases.

Clinical Interests

  • Respiratory epidemiology
  • Asthma

Selected Publications

2018

  • Elliot V, Cammer A, Pickett W, Marlenga B, Lawson J, Dosman J, Hagel L, Koehncke N, Trask C. Towards a deeper understanding of parenting on farms: a qualitative study. PLOS ONE. 2018;13:e0198796 (18 pages). Epub 2018.
  • Oluwole O, Rennie D, Senthilselvan A, Dyck R, Afanasieva A, Kirychuk S, Katselis G, Lawson JA. The association between endotoxin in house dust with atopy and exercise-induced bronchospasm in children with asthma. Environmental Research. 2018;164:302-9.
  • Oluwole O, Rennie D, Senthilselvan A, Dyck R, Katselis G, Kirychuk S, Afanasieva A, Lawson JA. The Association between Endotoxin and Beta-(1→3)-D-Glucan in House Dust with Asthma Severity among Schoolchildren Respiratory Medicine. Respiratory Medicine. 2018;138:38-46.
  • Pickett W, King N, Marlenga B, Lawson JA, Hagel L, Elliot V, Dosman J. Exposure to agricultural hazards among children who visit farms. Paediatrics & Child Health. 2018;https://doi.org/10.1093/p:e143-e149.
  • Oluwole O, Rennie D, Senthilselvan A, Dyck R, Afanasieva A, Adamko D, Lawson JA. Asthma diagnosis among children along an urban-rural gradient. Journal of Asthma. 2018;55:1242-52. .
  • Madani K, Vlaski E, Rennie D, Sears M, Lawson JA. An international comparison of risk factors between two regions with distinct differences in asthma prevalence. Allergologia et Immunopathologia. 2018;46:341-53.

2017

  • Jankowski M, Brozek G, Skoczynski S, Lawson J, Zejda J. E-smoking: emerging public health problem? International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health. 2017;30:329-44.
  • King N, Pickett W, Marlenga B, Lawson JA, Hagel L, Elliot V, Dosman J. Exposure to agricultural hazards among children who visit farms. Paediatrics & Child Health. 2017;https://doi.org/10.1093/p:7 pages.
  • van der Spuy I, Karunanayake C, Dosman J, McMullen K, Zhao G, Abonyi S, Rennie D, Lawson J, Kirychuk S, Koehncke N, MacDonald J, Jimmy L, Ramsden V, Fenton M, Marchildon G, King M, Pahwa P. Determinants of Excessive Daytime Sleepiness in Two First Nation Communities. BMC Pulmonary Medicine. 2017;17:192 (9 pages). Epub 2017.
  • Brozek G, Jarosinska A, Idzik A, Lawson J, Zejda J. Comparison of spirometric results obtained from the sitting and standing position in children participating in an epidemiological study. Advances in Dermatology and Allergology (Postepy Dermatol Alergol). 2017;35:314-16.
  • Pahwa P, Masud R, Pickett W, Karunanayake C, Amin K, Koehncke N, Elliot V, Hagel L, Lawson J, Rennie D, Kirychuk S, Janzen B, Dyck R, Dosman J. Cohort Profile: The Saskatchewan Rural Health Study - Adult Component. BMC Research Notes. 2017;10:732 (7 pages).
  • Karunanayake C, Rennie DC, Ramsden VR, Kirychuk S, Fenton M, Lawson JA, Henderson R, Jimmy L, Seeseequasis J, Abonyi S, Dosman JA, Pahwa P. Bronchitis and Its Associated Risk Factors in First Nations Children. Children. 2017;4:(10 pages).
  • Lawson JA, Brozek G, Shpakou A, Fedortsiv O, Vlaski E, Beridze V, Rennie D, Afanasieva A, Beridze S, Zejda J. An international comparison of asthma, wheeze, and breathing medication use among children. Respiratory Medicine. 2017;133:22-8.
  • Zejda J, Farnik M, Smolka I, Lawson J, Brozek G. Socio-demographic factors related to under-diagnosis of childhood asthma in Upper Silesia, Poland. Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine. 2017;24:171-5.
  • Elliot V, Hagel L, Dosman J, Rana M, Lawson J, Marlenga B, Trask C, Pickett W. Resilience of farm women working the third shift. Journal of Agromedicine. 2017;23:70-77.
  • Lawson JA, Goodridge D, Rennie D, Zhao G, Marciniuk D. Profile of a National Sample of Canadian Children with Participation and Activity Limitations. Journal of Child Health Care. 2017;21:201-11.
  • Lawson JA, Chu LM, Rennie DC, Hagel L, Karunanayake CP, Pahwa P, Dosman JA. Prevalence, risk factors, and clinical outcomes of atopic and non-atopic asthma among rural children. Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. 2017;118:304-10.
  • Pahwa P, Karunanayake C, Rennie D, Lawson J, Ramsden V, McMullen K, Gardipy J, MacDonald J, Abonyi S, Episkenew J, Dosman J. Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Chronic Bronchitis in First Nations People. BMC Pulmonary Medicine. 2017;17:95 (10 pages).
  • Balakrishnan L, Rennie D, Dosman J, Pahwa P, Kaunanayake C, Hagel L, Lawson J. Lung Function in relation to farm dwelling and farming activities in Rural Dwelling Children. Respirology. 2017;22:1320-28.
  • Marlenga B, King N, Pickett W, Lawson J, Hagel L, Dosman J. Impact of sleep on injury risk among rural children. Paediatrics and Child Health. 2017;22:211-6.
  • Janzen B, Karunanayake C, Rennie D, Pickett W, Lawson J, Kirychuk S, Hagel L, Senthilselvan A, Koehncke N, Dosman J, Pahwa P. Gender Differences in the Association of Individual and Contextual Exposures with Lung Function in a Rural Canadian Population. Lung. 2017;195:43-52.
  • Lawson J, Rennie D, Cockcroft D, Dyck R, Afanasieva A, Oluwole O, Afsana J. Childhood asthma, asthma severity indicators, and related conditions along an urban-rural gradient: A cross-sectional study. BMC Pulm Med. 2017;17:4 (9 pages).
  • Oluwole O, Kirychuk SP, Lawson JA, Karunanayake C, Cockcroft D, Peterson C, Willson PJ, Senthilselvan A, Rennie DC. Indoor mold levels and current asthma among school-aged children in Saskatchewan, Canada. Indoor Air. 2017;27:311-9

2016

  • Karunanayake C, Rennie DC, Hildebrand C, Lawson JA, Hagel L, Dosman JA, Pahwa P. Actual body weight and parent's perspective of child's body weight among rural Canadian children. Children. 2016;3:E13 (12 pages).
  • King N, Janssen I, Hagel L, Dosman J, Lawson J, Trask C, Pickett W. Identifying and mitigating risks for agricultural injury associated with obesity. Preventive Medicine Reports. 2016;4:220-4.
  • Sharma M, Lawson J, Kanthan R, Karunanayake C, Hagel L, Rennie D, Dosman J, Pahwa P. Factors Associated With the Prevalence of Prostate Cancer in Rural Saskatchewan: The Saskatchewan Rural Health Study. Journal of Rural Health. 2016;32:125-35.
  • Karunanayake C, Albritton W, Rennie DC, Lawson JA, McCallum L, Gardipy P, Seeseequasis J, Naytowhow A, Hagel L, McMullin K, Ramsden V, Abonyi S, Episkenew J, Dosman J, Pahwa P. Ear Infection and Its Associated Risk Factors in First Nations and Rural School-Aged Canadian Children. International Journal of Pediatrics. 2016;2016:(11 pages).
  • Brozek G, Lawson J, Shpakou A, Fedortsiv O, Hryshchuk L, Rennie D, Zejda J. Childhood asthma prevalence and risk factors in three Eastern European countries - The Belarus, Ukraine, Poland Asthma Study (BUPAS): An international prevalence study. BMC Pulmonary Medicine. 2016;16:11 (11 pages).

2015

  • Chu L, Rennie D, Cockcroft D, Pahwa P, Dosman JA, Hagel L, Karunanayake C, Lawson JA. Agreement between Questionnaire Report of Allergy-related Outcomes in School-age Children and Objective Measures of Atopy: The Saskatchewan Rural Health Study. Clinical and Experimental Allergy. 2015;45:1337-45.
  • Chen Y, Rennie D, Karunanayake C, Janzen B, Hagel L, Pickett W, Dyck R, Lawson J, Dosman J, Pahwa P. Income adequacy and education associated with the prevalence of obesity in rural Saskatchewan, Canada. BMC Public Health. 2015;15:700 (7 pages).
  • Brozek G, Shpakou A, Lawson J, Zejda J. Rural dwelling and temporal trends in relation to childhood asthma and related conditions in Belarus: A repeated cross-sectional survey. Journal of Agromedicine. 2015;20:332-40.
  • Karunanayake C, Hagel L, Rennie DC, Lawson JA, Dosman JA, Pahwa P. Prevalence and risk factors of respiratory symptoms in rural population. Journal of Agromedicine. 2015;20:317-21.
  • Pickett W, King N, Lawson J, Dosman JA, Trask C, Brison RJ, Hagel L, Janssen I. Farmers, mechanized work, and links to obesity. Preventive Medicine. 2015;70:59-63.
  • Rennie D, Karunanayake C, Pahwa P, Chen Y, Chu L, Lawson JA, Dosman J. Farm Exposure and Atopy in Men and Women: The Saskatchewan Rural Health Study. Journal of Agromedicine. 2015;20:302-9.
  • DeWit Y, Pickett W, Lawson J, Dosman J. Farm Activities and Agricultural Injuries in Youth and Young Adult Workers. Journal of Agromedicine. 2015;20:318-26.
  • Karunanayake CP, Rennie DC, Hagel L, Lawson J, Janzen B, Pickett W, Dosman JA, Pahwa P. Access to specialist care in rural Saskatchewan: The Saskatchewan Rural Health Study. Healthcare. 2015;3:84-99.

2014

  • Chu L, Rennie DC, Cockcroft DW, Pahwa P, Dosman J, Hagel L, Karunanayake C, Lawson J. Prevalence and determinants of atopy and allergic diseases among school-age children in rural Saskatchewan, Canada. Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. 2014;113:430-9.
  • King N, Pickett W, Hagel L, Lawson J, Trask C, Dosman JA. Impact of excessive daytime sleepiness on the safety and health of farmers in Saskatchewan. Canadian Respiratory Journal. 2014;21:363-9.
  • Janzen B, Karunanayake C, Pahwa P, Dyck R, Rennie D, Lawson J, Pickett W, Bryce R, Hagel L, Zhao G. Exploring Diversity in Socioeconomic Inequalities in Health Among Rural Dwelling Canadians. Journal of Rural Health. 2014;ePub ahead of print. Epub 2014.
  • Bath B, Trask C, McCrosky J, Lawson J. Demographic and health characteristics of rural- and urban-dwelling Canadians with chronic back disorders: A population-based comparison. Spine. 2014;39:1960-8.
  • Barry RJ, Pickett W, Rennie DC, Dosman JA, Pahwa P, Hagel L, Karunanayake C, Lawson JA. The Role of Farm Operational and Rural Environments as Potential Risk Factors for Pediatric Asthma in Rural Saskatchewan. Pediatric Pulmonology. 2014;49:842-51.
  • Katzman M, Lawson J, Whiting S, Rosenberg A. Factors associated with cord blood vitamin D concentration in Saskatchewan newborns. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. 2014;5:1-4.
  • Gjevre JA, Pahwa P, Karunanayake C, Hagel L, Rennie D, Lawson J, Dyck R, Dosman J. Excessive daytime sleepiness among rural residents in Saskatchewan. Canadian Respiratory Journal. 2014;21:227-33.
  • Lawson JA, Janssen I, Bruner M, Hossain A, Pickett W. Asthma incidence and risk factors in a national longitudinal sample of adolescent Canadians: a prospective cohort study. BMC Pulmonary Medicine. 2014;14:51 (9 pages).
  • Trask C, Bath B, McCrosky J, Lawson J. A Profile of Farmers and Other Employed Canadians With Chronic Back Pain: A Population-Based Analysis of the 2009-2010 Canadian Community Health Surveys. The Journal of Rural Health. 2014;30:300-10.
  • Bath B, Trask C, McCrosky J, Lawson J. A Biopsychosocial Profile of Adult Canadians with and without Chronic Back Disorders: A Population-Based Analysis of the 2009-2010 Canadian Community Health Surveys. BioMed Research International. 2014;2014:11 pages.

2013

  • Brozek GM, Farnik M, Lawson J, Zejda JE. Underdiagnosis of childhood asthma: A comparison of survey estimates to clinical evaluation. International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health. 2013;26:900-9.
  • Lawson JA, Rennie DC, Dosman JA, Cammer AL, Senthilselvan A. Obesity, diet and activity in relation to asthma and wheeze among rural dwelling children and adolescents. Journal of Obesity. 2013.
  • Dyck R, Karunanayake C, Pahwa P, Hagel L, Lawson J, Rennie D, Dosman J. Prevalence, risk factors and co-morbidities of diabetes among adults in rural Saskatchewan: the influence of farm residence and agriculture-related exposures. BMC Public Health. 2013;13:7 (epub).
  • Skoczynski S, Brozek G, Lawson J, Glinka K, Jarosinska A, Pierzchala W. Patient education and telemedicine in COPD. Current Respiratory Medicine Reviews. 2013;9:392-401.

2012

  • Rennie DC, Lawson JA, Senthilselvan A, Willson PJ, Dosman JA. Domestic endotoxin and asthma in childhood: Epidemiologic studies. Frontiers in Bioscience (Elite Edition). 2012;1:56-73.
  • Lawson JA, Dosman JA, Rennie DC, Beach J, Newman S, Crowe T, Senthilselvan A. Endotoxin as a determinant of asthma and wheeze among rural dwelling children and adolescents: A case-control study. BMC Pulmonary Medicine. 2012;12:56 (epub). Epub 2012.
  • Pahwa P, Karunanayake C, Hagel L, Janzen B, Pickett W, Rennie D, Senthilselvan A, Lawson J, Kirychuk S, Dosman J. The Saskatchewan Rural Health Study: An Application of a Population Health Framework to Understand Respiratory Health Outcomes. BMC Research Notes. 2012;5:400 (13 pages).
  • Silver T, Lawson J, Mayer M. Sonographic characteristics of presumptively normal canine main axillary and superficial cervical lymph nodes. American Journal of Veterinary Research. 2012;73:1200-6.
  • Pahwa P, Karunanayake C, Hagel L, Rennie D, Lawson J, Epp L, Dosman J. Self-Selection Bias in Epidemiological Study of Respiratory Health of Rural Population. Journal of Agromedicine. 2012;19(2):316-325.
  • Pahwa P, Karunanayake C, Hagel L, Gjevre J, Rennie D, Lawson J, Dosman JA. Prevalence of high Epworth Sleepiness Scale score in a rural population. Canadian Respiratory Journal. 2012;19(2):e10-e14.
  • Fedortsiv O, Brozek GM, Luchyshyn N, Kubey I, Lawson JA, Rennie DC, Zejda JE. Prevalence of childhood asthma, rhinitis, and eczema in the Ternopil region of Ukraine – results of BUPAS study. Advances in Medical Sciences. 2012;57:282-289.
  • Pahwa P, Karunanayake C, Willson PJ, Hagel L, Rennie DC, Lawson JA, Pickett W, Dosman JA. Prevalence of Chronic Bronchitis in Farming and Non-Farming Rural Residents in Saskatchewan. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2012;54:1481-90.
  • Barry RJ, Pickett W, Rennie DC, Senthilselvan A, Cockcroft DW, Lawson JA. Factors contributing to risks for pediatric asthma in rural Saskatchewan. Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. 2012;109:255-259.

2011

  • Lawson JA, Janssen I, Bruner MW, Madani K, Pickett W. Urban-rural differences in asthma prevalence among young people in Canada: the roles of health behaviours and obesity. Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. 2011;107:220-228.
  • Rennie DC, Lawson JA. Respiratory protection: Domestic air quality and lung health. Minerva Pneumologica. 2011;50:17-29.
  • Lawson JA, Dosman JA, Rennie DC, Beach J, Newman SC, Senthilselvan A. The association between endotoxin and lung function among children and adolescents in a rural area. Canadian Respiratory Journal. 2011;18:e89-94.
  • Lawson JA, Dosman JA, Rennie DC, Beach J, Newman SC, Senthilselvan A. Endotoxin and tobacco smoke exposure’s association with wheeze and diurnal peak expiratory flow variability in children and adolescents. Respirology. 2011;16:332-339.
  • Goodridge D, Lawson J, Marciniuk D, Rennie D. A population-based profile of Canadian adults living with participation and activity limitations. Canadian Medical Association Journal. 2011;183:e1017-1024.