Hana Al-Bannay
Improving the health of Saudi Muslim women through education related to lifestyle conditions with special reference to type 2 diabetes mellitus
Dr. Elizabeth Dean
Qatif
Saudi Arabia
Why did you decide to pursue a graduate degree?
My career aspirations required me to do further education in graduate school.
Why did you decide to study at UBC?
UBC is a very prestigious university and their graduate programs are well recognized internationally. I also found shared research interests between myself and my supervisor.
What do you hope to accomplish with your research?
- Designing health education programs suitable for the lifestyle of Muslim women in Saudi Arabia
- Empowering Saudi and Muslim women to pursue healthy living
- Decreasing the prevalence of lifestyle conditions including type 2 diabetes mellitus in Saudi Arabia
What are your future career goals?
Participating in a blend of program development, consultation and research related to health education crossing cultural domains with a focus on the health of Muslim women and health education through religion.
What has been your most memorable Vancouver experience so far?
Though it wasn't a very pleasant experience, my move to Vancouver taught me to be patient. It wasn't easy to form a social support network right after my arrival.
What advice do you have for new graduate students?
It is very important to learn how to negotiate the differences between the Saudi culture and the Canadian culture.
Personal Interests / Hobbies
Swimming, music, outdoors