Shaniff Esmail, University of Alberta

Research

Read how they describe their research on their University of Alberta profile.

Latest papers

Brain-Computer Interface Games for Cognitive Assessment: A Scoping Review.
The Canadian journal of neurological sciences. Le journal canadien des sciences neurologiques · 2026
Personal Health Data in Healthcare: Important Factors Considered by Health Students—A Qualitative Study
Healthcare · 2026
Machine Learning Analysis of Engagement Behaviors in Older Adults With Dementia Playing Mobile Games: Exploratory Study.
JMIR serious games · 2025

All 13 publications

Latest funding

We are sexual too: A partnership to support the intimate citizenship of disabled youth across Canada by mobilizing knowledge about sexuality and disability
SSHRC · 2021 · Co-investigator
$131,351
We are sexual too: A partnership to support the intimate citizenship of disabled youth across Canada by mobilizing knowledge about sexuality and disability
SSHRC · 2021 · Co-investigator
$68,546
Immigrant worker, service provider and employer perspectives on occupational safety and work conditions of immigrant workers and their return-to-work experiences after occupational injury or illness
SSHRC · 2016 · Co-investigator
$169,683

All 3 grants and awards

13 publications.

01

Brain-Computer Interface Games for Cognitive Assessment: A Scoping Review.

Alsubaie M, Alshammari S, Ahmed Y, Esmail S, Adams K, Rouhani H, Ríos Rincón A

The Canadian journal of neurological sciences. Le journal canadien des sciences neurologiques2026Open Access

DOI: 10.1017/cjn.2026.10606 PMID: 41969217

02

Personal Health Data in Healthcare: Important Factors Considered by Health Students—A Qualitative Study

Sjors W M Groeneveld, Gaya Bin Noon, Mathieu Figeys, Julia E.W.C. van Gemert‐Pijnen, Rudolf M. Verdaasdonk, Plinio Pelegrini Morita, Shaniff Esmail, Harmieke van Os‐Medendorp, Marjolein E.M. den Ouden

Healthcare2026Open Access

DOI: 10.3390/healthcare14121731 PMID: 42354589

03

Machine Learning Analysis of Engagement Behaviors in Older Adults With Dementia Playing Mobile Games: Exploratory Study.

Torabgar M, Figeys M, Esmail S, Stroulia E, Ríos Rincón AM

JMIR serious games20253 citationsOpen Access

DOI: 10.2196/54797 PMID: 40029608

04

Analyzing Mobility Indicators Using Machine Learning to Detect Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Scoping Review.

Alshammari S, Alsubaie M, Figeys M, Ríos Rincón A, Ezeugwu V, Esmail S, Daum C, Liu L, Miguel Cruz A

Applied clinical informatics20251 citationsOpen Access

DOI: 10.1055/a-2657-8212 PMID: 40902642

05

Immersive Virtual Reality and AI (Generative Pretrained Transformer) to Enhance Student Preparedness for Objective Structured Clinical Examinations: Mixed Methods Study.

Esmail S, Concannon B

JMIR serious games2025First author

DOI: 10.2196/69428 PMID: 40306631

06

Approaches to Determine and Manage Sexual Consent Abilities for People With Cognitive Disabilities: Systematic Review.

Esmail S, Concannon B

Interactive journal of medical research2022First author

DOI: 10.2196/28137 PMID: 35119371

07

Immersive Virtual Reality for the Reduction of State Anxiety in Clinical Interview Exams: Prospective Cohort Study.

Concannon BJ, Esmail S, Roduta Roberts M

JMIR serious games202032 citationsOpen Access

DOI: 10.2196/18313 PMID: 32673223

08

Model of Human Occupation as a framework for implementation of Motivational Interviewing in occupational rehabilitation.

Park J, Gross DP, Rayani F, Norris CM, Roberts MR, James C, Guptill C, Esmail S

Work (Reading, Mass.)201927 citationsSenior author

DOI: 10.3233/wor-192895 PMID: 31104046

09

Motivational Interviewing for Workers with Disabling Musculoskeletal Disorders: Results of a Cluster Randomized Control Trial

Joanne Park, Shaniff Esmail, Fahreen Rayani, Colleen M. Norris, Douglas Paul Gross

Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation201743 citationsOpen Access

DOI: 10.1007/s10926-017-9712-3 PMID: 28550417

10

Motivational Interviewing Improves Sustainable Return to Work in Injured Workers After Rehabilitation: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Douglas Paul Gross, Joanne Park, Fahreen Rayani, Colleen M. Norris, Shaniff Esmail

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation201741 citationsSenior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2017.06.003 PMID: 28647549

We are sexual too: A partnership to support the intimate citizenship of disabled youth across Canada by mobilizing knowledge about sexuality and disability

Co-investigatorSSHRC2021Partnership Development Grants

Principal investigators: McPherson, Amy C.

Keywords: sexuality; disability; youth; stigma

$131,351

We are sexual too: A partnership to support the intimate citizenship of disabled youth across Canada by mobilizing knowledge about sexuality and disability

Co-investigatorSSHRC2021Partnership Development Grants

Principal investigators: McPherson, Amy C.

Keywords: sexuality; disability; youth; stigma

$68,546

Immigrant worker, service provider and employer perspectives on occupational safety and work conditions of immigrant workers and their return-to-work experiences after occupational injury or illness

Co-investigatorSSHRC2016Insight Grants

Principal investigators: Shankar, Janki

Keywords: occupational safety; return to work; illness; injury; immigrants

$169,683

From public funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998 with their latest competition results, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, Genome Canada, the Canadian Space Agency, Canada Research Chairs, the Fonds de recherche du Québec, Ontario research funding, Michael Smith Health Research BC, the Canadian Cancer Society, Heart & Stroke and Brain Canada.

Frequent collaborators

Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy
School of Public Health Sciences
Health Sciences Education
Rehabilitation Sciences
Computing Science
Mechanical Engineering Dept
Other

Applying for

Paper to mention

Subject: Prospective PhD student Dear Professor Esmail, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Brain-Computer Interface Games for Cognitive Assessment: A Scoping Review." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]