Olga Theou, Dalhousie University

Research

Frailty Aging Chronic Kidney Disease Healthcare Utilization Cognitive Impairment Dementia Risk Factors Social Vulnerability

Latest papers

Frailty index deficit interchangeability: an empirical test using random survival forests in adults with cardiovascular disease.
Age and ageing · 2026
Frailty is associated with lower-limb osteoarthritis incidence over six-years regardless of sex and type of frailty index in the Canadian longitudinal study on aging.
Osteoarthritis and cartilage open · 2026
Sedentary time and television viewing time are associated with an increased risk for all-cause mortality: A systematic review of systematic reviews.
Preventive medicine · 2026

All 170 publications

Latest funding

Developing partnerships and identifying research and knowledge gaps for fracture prevention in the home care context
CIHR · 2025 · Co-investigator
$9,910
The interaction between chronic disease and longitudinal changes in frailty and their associations with healthcare utilization in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging
CIHR · 2025 · Nominated PI
$70,000
Are personality traits related to frailty trajectories and pathways to age-related adverse health outcomes?
CIHR · 2025 · Supervisor
$120,000

All 26 grants and awards

From the 150 most recent of 170 publications.

01

Frailty index deficit interchangeability: an empirical test using random survival forests in adults with cardiovascular disease.

Quach J, Theou O, Rockwood K, Kehler S, Blodgett J

Age and ageing2026

DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afag262 PMID: 42696642

02

Frailty is associated with lower-limb osteoarthritis incidence over six-years regardless of sex and type of frailty index in the Canadian longitudinal study on aging.

Halliwell C, Moyer R, Legge A, Theou O, Bélanger M, Mekari S, O'Brien MW

Osteoarthritis and cartilage open2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.ocarto.2026.100827 PMID: 42283064

03

Sedentary time and television viewing time are associated with an increased risk for all-cause mortality: A systematic review of systematic reviews.

Shivgulam ME, Liu H, MacDonald E, Courish M, Huerta-Domínguez A, Theou O, Tovar-Díaz J, O'Brien MW

Preventive medicine2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2026.108610 PMID: 42217831

04

Bedrest, frailty and exercise countermeasures: A 14-day head-down tilt study in mid-older aged adults.

Blodgett JM, Godin J, Kehler DS, Howlett SE, Rockwood K, Theou O

Experimental gerontology2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2026.113132 PMID: 41997551

05

Machine learning for frailty assessment and outcome prediction in cardiovascular disease: A scoping review.

Quach J, Theou O, Maxwell S, Abidi SSR, Song X, Rockwood K, Kehler DS

Ageing research reviews2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2026.103122 PMID: 41941969

06

Association between physical activity and stationary time variability and frailty in adults meeting and not meeting activity guidelines.

Shivgulam ME, Theou O, O'Brien MW

Archives of gerontology and geriatrics2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2026.106215 PMID: 41856051

07

The Impact of a Prior Traumatic Brain Injury and Injury Characteristics on Frailty in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

Courish MK, O'Brien MW, Shivgulam ME, MacDonald EE, Mekari S, Theou O

Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2026.01.021 PMID: 41620060

08

Prospective study of breakfast frequency and timing and risk of myocardial infarction and coronary artery disease in community-dwelling older adults: The Cardiovascular Health Study.

Cahill LE, Sandila N, Mekary RA, Biggs ML, Carew AS, Parkash R, Tennankore K, Theou O, Urquhart R, Djoussé L, Mukamal KJ

The journal of nutrition, health & aging2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.jnha.2026.100825 PMID: 41903300

09

Sit-to-Stand Desk Converters Decrease Sedentary Time and Increase Standing Time in Young Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

MacDonald EE, Waghorn J, Kennedy-Inamoto M, Kimmerly DS, Neyedli H, Theou O, O'Brien MW

Journal of occupational and environmental medicine2026

DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000003734 PMID: 41975561

10

Longitudinal associations between movement and sarcopenia, gait speed, and grip strength differ by frailty level in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

Shivgulam ME, Halliwell C, Theou O, O'Brien MW

Archives of gerontology and geriatrics2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2026.106363 PMID: 42537596

Developing partnerships and identifying research and knowledge gaps for fracture prevention in the home care context

Co-investigatorCIHR2025Planning and Dissemination Grant - Institute Community Support

Principal investigators: McArthur, Caitlin

Keywords: Community Care; Fractures; Home Care Care; Osteoporosis; Prevention

$9,910

The interaction between chronic disease and longitudinal changes in frailty and their associations with healthcare utilization in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging

Nominated PICIHR2025Catalyst Grant: Analysis of CLSA Data

Principal investigators: Theou, Olga

Keywords: Aging; Chronic Kidney Disease; Frailty; Healthcare Utilization

$70,000

Are personality traits related to frailty trajectories and pathways to age-related adverse health outcomes?

SupervisorCIHR2025Doctoral Research Award : Priority Announcement - Geroscience

Principal investigators: van der Valk, Alexandra M

Keywords: Aging; Frailty; Personality

$120,000

Summer Program in Aging

SupervisorCIHR2025Summer Program in Aging

Principal investigators: Schmidt, Christian W

Keywords: Aging

$850

Presentation, Integration and Mobilization of Key Research Findings from the Transitions in Care Inactivity Study

Co-investigatorCIHR2024Planning and Dissemination Grant - Institute Community Support

Principal investigators: Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging, .

Keywords: Aging; End-Of-Grant; Inactivity; Knowledge Mobilization; Transitions In Care

$59,070

Managing and AVOIDing Frailty and Adverse Musculoskeletal Health among Canadian Males and Females

Co-investigatorCIHR2024Catalyst Grant: Analysis of CLSA Data - IMHA Early Career Researcher

Principal investigators: O'Brien, Myles

Keywords: Aging; Frailty; Healthcare Utilization; Longitudinal; Musculoskeletal Health; Osteoarthritis; Sarcopenia; Sex Differences

$70,000

Canada Research Chair - Tier 2

Nominated PICIHR2024Canada Research Chairs - CIHR Funded - Tier 2

Principal investigators: Theou, Olga

Keywords: Cr

$500,000

Gender differences in objective and subjective measures of frailty in patients with end-stage kidney disease and impact on kidney transplant referral

Co-investigatorCIHR2024Project Grant

Principal investigators: Vinson, Amanda; Tennankore, Karthik K

Keywords: Bias; Disparity; Frailty; Gender; Inequity; Kidney Transplant; Referral; Sex; Subjective; Waitlist Activation

$382,500

How does social vulnerability impact frailty and cognitive impairment in Canadians?

Nominated PICIHR2024Catal. Grant: Analysis of CLSA Data - Brain Health and Cognit. Impairm. in Aging

Principal investigators: Theou, Olga; Wallace, Lindsay

Keywords: Aging; Cognitive Impairment; Dementia; Frailty; Risk Factors; Social Vulnerability

$70,000

Improving Mortality Prediction in People with Cardiovascular Disease: A Random Survival Forests Approach Integrating Frailty Assessment

SupervisorCIHR2023CIHR-ICRH Travel Awards - General pool

Principal investigators: Quach, Hoang

Keywords: Cardiovascular Disease; Frailty

$1,500

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Community Health and Epidemiology
Physiotherapy
Medicine
Geriatric Medicine
Health Administration
School of Nursing
Pediatrics
Other

Co-authors at Dalhousie University, colored by department. Thicker lines mean more shared papers; select anyone to open their profile and their own map.

Kenneth Rockwood

Geriatric Medicine

85 shared papers, latest 2026

Susan Kirkland

Community Health and Epidemiology

11 shared papers, latest 2024

Caitlin McArthur

Physiotherapy

7 shared papers, latest 2026

Leah Cahill

Health Administration

6 shared papers, latest 2023

Mohammad Hajizadeh

Community Health and Epidemiology

2 shared papers, latest 2023

Elaine Moody

School of Nursing

2 shared papers, latest 2026

Michael Kalu

Kinesiology and Health Sciences

2 shared papers, latest 2026

Pantelis Andreou

Community Health and Epidemiology

2 shared papers, latest 2015

Teresa Liu-Ambrose

Physical Therapy

2 shared papers, latest 2024

Simon Duchesne

Radiology and Nuclear Medicine

2 shared papers, latest 2024

Xiaowei Song

Geriatric Medicine

2 shared papers, latest 2026

Isabelle Vedel

Centre de recherche

1 shared papers, latest 2022

Patricia Hewston

Rehabilitation Science

1 shared papers, latest 2026

Brian McKenna

Family Medicine

1 shared papers, latest 2026

Genevieve Hladysh

Rehabilitation Science

1 shared papers, latest 2026

Chris Verschoor

Medicine

1 shared papers, latest 2024

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their CIHR grant from 2025

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Frailty Dear Professor Theou, 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 "Frailty index deficit interchangeability: an empirical test using random survival forests in adults with cardiovascular disease." (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.] I also saw your CIHR-funded project "The interaction between chronic disease and longitudinal changes in frailty and their associations with healthcare utilization in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging" (2025), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. 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]

Olga Theou

Research

Latest papers

Latest funding

Frailty index deficit interchangeability: an empirical test using random survival forests in adults with cardiovascular disease.

Frailty is associated with lower-limb osteoarthritis incidence over six-years regardless of sex and type of frailty index in the Canadian longitudinal study on aging.

Sedentary time and television viewing time are associated with an increased risk for all-cause mortality: A systematic review of systematic reviews.

Bedrest, frailty and exercise countermeasures: A 14-day head-down tilt study in mid-older aged adults.

Machine learning for frailty assessment and outcome prediction in cardiovascular disease: A scoping review.

Association between physical activity and stationary time variability and frailty in adults meeting and not meeting activity guidelines.

The Impact of a Prior Traumatic Brain Injury and Injury Characteristics on Frailty in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

Prospective study of breakfast frequency and timing and risk of myocardial infarction and coronary artery disease in community-dwelling older adults: The Cardiovascular Health Study.

Sit-to-Stand Desk Converters Decrease Sedentary Time and Increase Standing Time in Young Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Longitudinal associations between movement and sarcopenia, gait speed, and grip strength differ by frailty level in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

Frequent collaborators

Kenneth Rockwood

Susan Kirkland

Lindsay Wallace

Caitlin McArthur

Leah Cahill

Robin Urquhart

Shirko Ahmadi

Said Mekari

Benjamin Rusak

Ratika Parkash

Mohammad Hajizadeh

Darryl Rolfson

Elaine Moody

Melissa Andrew

James Downar

Andrea Iaboni

Linda Verlinden

Michael Kalu

Pantelis Andreou

Teresa Liu-Ambrose

Simon Duchesne

Xiaowei Song

Vanessa Declercq

Melissa Andrew

Saija Kontulainen

Patrick McGrath

Isabelle Vedel

Jonathon Fowles

Jordan Warford

Natalie Phillips

Myles O'Brien

Pauline Boulos

Patricia Hewston

Brian McKenna

Alexander Rabinovich

Justin Lee

Jonathan Derrick Adachi

Genevieve Hladysh

Sharon Marr

Chris Verschoor