Prof. Shen Lamson LIN

• Healthy Ageing: Social Medicine; Gerontology; Geriatric psychiatry; Multimorbidity; Late-life mental disorders; Long-term care 
• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion: Cross-cultural/Multicultural social work; Immigrant & ethnic minority health; Anti-discriminatory practice
• Health Inequality: Social determinants/dimensions of health & illness; Health service research; Social epidemiology
• COVID-19 Pandemic: Pandemic anxiety; Pandemic loneliness; Social isolation; Infodemic; Health behavioural changes
• Statistical Methods: Large-scale population-based survey; Quantitative Intersectionality; Machine Learning/Artificial intelligence

Prof. Lin, Shen (Lamson) holds the visiting academic position at the University of Oxford's Institute of Population Ageing (May to July 2024). He joined the City University of Hong Kong as an assistant professor (tenure-track) of social work in 2022, right after completing his doctoral education in Canada (2017 - 2022). Prof. Lamson Lin earned his Ph.D. degree from the University of Toronto (UofT)'s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW), where he received a competitive 5-year doctoral fellowship (for international trainees) from UofT.

With interdisciplinary training in social work (FIFSW), gerontology (Institute for Life Course & Aging), and population health (Dalla Lana School of Public Health), Lamson's scholarship centers around social determinants of health (in)equity, population ageing, and artificial intelligence methodologies to social sciences. Before joining CityU, he was a course instructor teaching Social Work Practice in Health (MSW postgraduate course) at FIFSW in 2020.

Prof. Lin's research article on vaccine hesitancy and stigma during the COVID-19 pandemic won 2023 GADE Student Award for Social Work Research in the United States. His research on pandemic loneliness was featured by CityU News in 2022. Prof. Lin serves as an editorial board member of the Humanities & Social Sciences Communications (HSS Communications, SSCI-indexed, 2-year IF=3.5), a Springer Nature journal. He is guest editing a Collection (special issue) on the topic: Humanising epidemiology: non-medical investigations into epi/pandemic phenomena (Call for submission). Prof. Lin now serves as the mentor for HK Tech 300 (CityU's flagship entrepreneurship programme) for two seed fund teams.

Scholarly Interest: As a gerontologist and social epidemiologist, Prof. Lamson Lin's research aims to advance healthy ageing via statistical and machine learning techniques to examine how social and structural determinants (e.g., race/ethnicity, migration, disadvantaged socioeconomic status/poverty) influence disparities in health care access/utilization (e.g., mental health consultations, unmet care needs, long-term care services) and health equity (e.g., multimorbidity, chronic illness, functional disability, depression) among older adults. Additionally, his scholarship investigates risk and protective factors through which the COVID-19 pandemic affects individuals' psychosocial well-being (e.g., anxiety disorders, loneliness, stigma, and vaccine hesitancy). 

Research Impact: To date, Prof. Lamson Lin has published 22 SCI/SSCI-indexed scholarly articles, and his eleven representative papers (i.e., single-authored) can be found in top-tier peer-reviewed journals across health and social sciences, including the Journal of Affective Disorders, Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences (Oxford University Press), Ageing & Society (Cambridge University Press), Journal of Social Work, Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health. He also provided consultancy services for the Government of Canada's Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) for a funded research project on "Interventions to Mitigate COVID-19 Related Mental Health Risks".

Knowledge Transfer: Lamson's research has been featured by multiple international media channels, including MIC News (09-Feb-2022), Miami Herald (11-Feb-2022), News Medical, Neuroscience News, CTV News (24-Jan-2020), Toronto Star (16-May-2022), Research2Reality (01-Dec-2022), Healthing.ca (08-Nov-2022).

Awards: Prof. Lamson Lin has received multiple academic awards from professional organizations in North America, including the Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education in Social Work (GADE) - 2023 GADE Student Award for Social Work Research; the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) - 2018 Best Abstract Award (Gero-Ed Track); Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR)- 2019 Travel Grant; Society of Refugee Healthcare Providers (SRHP)- 2019 Best Original Research Award; and Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) - 2020 Travel grant for CPHA Conference.

Collaboration & Opportunities: Prof. Lamson Lin welcomes students, potential Ph.D. trainees, and scholars with shared research interests as well as a social justice lens to join his research team, in which innovative, leading-edge, and equity-driven population health research is nurtured. We celebrate the success and impact of researchers shaping the frontiers of health and social sciences. Please see "Positions Available" above to join Prof. Lamson Lin's research Lab - Pursuing Equitable Ageing Research Lab (the PEARL).

Prof. Lamson Lin 於2022年加入香港城市大學-社會與行為科學系，擔任社會工作專業的助理教授（常聘軌）。林教授在多倫多大學的Factor-Inwentash社會工作學院全額獎學金的資助下獲得哲學博士學位。在加拿大，林教授接受過社會工作、老年學和人口公共衛生方面的跨學科訓練，他的學術研究主要圍繞健康的社會決定因素、人口老齡化以及人工智能在社會科學的應用。學術興趣：作為一名專注“老齡社會學/老年學”（Gerontology）的專家學者，林教授的研究旨在通過定量統計，人口大數據和機器學習技術促進“健康老齡化”，研究社會和結構性決定因素（如種族/民族、移民、弱勢社會經濟地位/貧困等） 如何影響老年人口/長者在醫療保健獲取（如心理健康諮詢、未滿足的護理需求、長期護理服務）和健康公平（如多病共患、慢性病、功能性殘疾、抑鬱症）方面的差異。其中，林教授的一項關於疫情期间心理健康與疫苗遲疑的研究於2023年被美國「社會工作博士教育促進協會」（Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education in Social Work - GADE）評選為「2023年度社會工作博士研究獎」。林教授關於疫情期间「嚴重孤獨感」的研究亦被「城大研究故事 」轉載。

• 2022 - Present Assistant Professor (Social Work), Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences, City University of Hong Kong
• 2024 May - July Visiting Academic, Oxford Institute of Population Ageing, University of Oxford

Representative papers: Sole or First authored (N=13)

Notes: IF=impact factor; * indicates corresponding author; SCI=Science Citation Index Expanded; SSCI=Social Science Citation Index; JCR=Journal Citation Reports

1. Lin, S. Lamson* (2024). Immigrant and Racialized Populations’ Cumulative Exposure to Discrimination and Associations with Long-Term Conditions During COVID-19: A Nationwide Large-Scale Study in Canada. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities (SSCI, JCR Q2, 54/180 Public, Environmental & Occupational Health, IF=3.9). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-024-02074-1

2. Lin, S. Lamson* (2024). Inequities in Mental Health Care Facing Racialized Immigrant Older Adults with Mental Disorders despite Universal Coverage: A Population-based Study in Canada, Journals of Gerontology Series B-Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences (SCI & SSCI, IF=6.2, JCR Q1, 5/37 Gerontology,中科院分區-老年醫學1區-醫學2區Top). https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbad036
3. Lin, S. Lamson* (2023). Healthy immigrant effect or under-detection? Examining Undiagnosed and Unrecognized Late-life Depression for Racialized Immigrants and non-immigrants in Canada, Journals of Gerontology Series B-Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences (SCI & SSCI, IF=6.2, JCR Q1, 5/37 Gerontology, 中科院分區-老年醫學1區-醫學2區Top).  https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbad104
4. Lin, S. Lamson* & Fang L. (2023) Chronic care for all? The Intersecting Roles of Race and Migration in Shaping Multimorbidity, Primary Care Coordination, and Unmet Healthcare Needs among Older Canadians, Journals of Gerontology Series B-Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences  (SCI & SSCI, IF=6.2, JCR Q1, 5/37 Gerontology, 中科院分區-老年醫學1區-醫學2區Top). https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbac125
5. Lin, S. Lamson* (2022). The “loneliness epidemic”, intersecting risk factors and relations to mental health help-seeking: a population-based study during COVID-19 lockdown in Canada. Journal of Affective Disorders (SCI & SSCI, IF=6.53, JCR Q1,中科院分區-醫學2區Top). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.08.131
6. Lin, S. Lamson* (2022). Generalized anxiety disorder during COVID-19 in Canada: Gender-specific association of COVID-19 misinformation exposure, precarious employment, and health behavior change.Journal of Affective Disorders (SCI & SSCI, IF=6.53, JCR Q1, 中科院分區-醫學2區Top).   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.01.100
7. Lin, S. Lamson*, (2021) Access to health care among racialized immigrants to Canada in later life: A theoretical and empirical synthesis, Ageing & Society (SSCI, IF=3.71, Q2)., 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X20001841
8. Lin, S. Lamson* (2022). COVID-19 pandemic and im/migrants’ elevated health concerns in Canada: Vaccine hesitancy, anticipated Stigma, and risk Perception of accessing care. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health (SSCI, IF=2.01, Q3). https://org/10.1007/s10903-022-01337-5
9. Lin, S. Lamson* (2022). Functional disability among middle-aged and older adults in China: the intersecting roles of ethnicity, social class, and urban/rural residency. International Journal of Aging and Human Development (SSCI, IF=2.24, Q3). https://doi.org/10.1177/00914150221092129
10. Lin, S. Lamson*, (2021). Social work indigenization in Mainland China: Towards a state-led decolonizing framework, Journal of Social Work (SSCI, IF=2.29, Q2). https://doi.org/10.1177/1468017320981707
11. Lin, S. Lamson* (2020). Inequities in Access: The Impact of a Segmented Health Insurance System on Physician Visits and Hospital Admissions Among Older Adults in the 2014 China Family Panel Studies. International Journal of Health Services (SSCI, IF=1.85, Q4), 50(2), 184-198. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020731419867529
12. Lin, S. Lamson*, Kobayashi K., Hongmei T., Davison, K. M., Simran R. A., Fuller-Thomson E (2020). Close Relations Matter: The Association between Depression and Refugee Status in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health (SSCI, IF=2.05, Q3). https://org/10.1007/s10903-020-00980-0
13. Lin, S. Lamson* (2018) “We work like ants…we avoid being troublemaker”: An exploratory inquiry on resilience of Chinese street vendors in the urban village, International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy (ESCI, IF=2.7), https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSSP-01-2018-0008

Co-authored papers (N=9)

1. Hongmei T., Lung. Y., Lin, S. Lamson, Kobayashi K., Davison, K. M., Fuller-Thomson E* (2021). Refugee Status is Associated with Double the Odds of Psychological Distress in mid-to-late life: Findings from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA)Canadian Refugees, International Journal of Social Psychiatry (SSCI, IF=10.46). https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764020971003
2. Davison, K.M., Hyland, C.E., West, M.L., Lin, S. Lamson, Kobayashi K., Hongmei T., Fuller-Thomson, E*. (2021).Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in older adults differs by immigrant status and ethnicity, nutrition, and health characteristics in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology.56 (SSCI, IF=4.52). 963–980. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-020-02003-7
3. Davison K.M.*, Thakkar V, Lin, S. Lamson, Stabler L, MacPhee M, Carroll S, Collins B, Rezler Z, Colautti J, Xu C, Fuller-Thomson E, Hey B, Kelly K, Mullaly L, Remick R, Ravindran A, Paric A, D’Andreamatteo C, Smye V. (2021) Interventions to Support Mental Health among Those with Health Conditions that Present Risk for Severe Infection from Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Scoping Review of English and Chinese-Language Literature. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (SSCI, IF=4.61). 18(14):7265. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147265
4. Stabler, L., MacPhee, M., Collins, B., Carroll, S., Davison, K.*, Thakkar, V., & Lin, S. Lamson, Hey, B. (2021). A rapid realist review of effective mental health interventions for individuals with chronic physical health conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic using a systems-level mental health promotion framework. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (SSCI, IF=4.61), 18(23), 12292. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182312292
5. Davison, K. M., Y., Lin, S. Lamson ,Kobayashi K., Hongmei T., Fuller-Thomson, E.* (2020) Psychological distress in older adults linked to immigrant status, dietary intake, and physical health conditions in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), Journal of Affective Disorders (SCI, IF=6.53) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.01.024 
6. Fuller-Thomson, E., Davison, K. M., Lin, S. Lamson, Kobayashi K., Hongmei T., (2020) Nutrition, Immigration and Health Determinants are Linked to Verbal Fluency among Anglophone Adults in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA),  Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging (SCI, IF=5.8), 24,672–680 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-020-1402-8
7. Davison, K. M., Lin, S. L., Tong, H., Kobayashi, K. M., Mora-Almanza, J. G., & Fuller-Thomson, E*. (2020). Nutritional Factors, Physical Health and Immigrant Status Are Associated with Anxiety Disorders among Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Findings from Baseline Data of The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (SSCI, IF=4.61), 17(5), 1493.. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17051493      
8. Davison, K. M., Yu, L., Lin, S. Lamson. Kobayashi K., Hongmei T., Fuller-Thomson, E.* (2019), Depression in middle and older adulthood: The role of immigration, nutrition, and other determinants of health in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, BMC Psychiatry (SSCI, IF=4.14), https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-019-2309-y
9. Ngai, S. Y.*, Cheung, C. K., Yuan, R., Lin, S. Lamson. (2016). Work motivation of unemployed youths: Moderating effects of financial dependence on parents, Children and Youth Services Review (SSCI, IF=2.39), 71, 157-165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2016.11.005

Teaching & Supervision:  Prof. Lamson Lin teaches undergraduate- and postgraduate-level courses in health and social sciences (5 courses in Sem B 2023), in which he embraces a student-centered pedagogy that provokes critical thinking and an evidence-based practice-informed approach. He is now supervising three postgraduate students' master's thesis projects, mentoring four doctoral students (as teaching assistants), and sitting on the dissertation supervisory committee of one doctoral student at CityU. 

Undergraduate Courses (Course leader role): 

1. SS3285 - Human Behaviour in Social Environment (2022/23 Sem B)
2. GE2226 - Ageing Society: HK & Beyond (2022/23 Sem B)
3. GE1226 - Youth in a Changing Society (2022/23 Sem B)
4. SS1012 - Youth in a Changing Society (2022/23 Sem B)
5. SS5111 - Social Welfare Policy System and Reform [Tutorial] (2022/23 Sem B)

Postgraduate Courses (Course leader role):

1. SS6403 -  Master’s Integrative Projects (2022/23 Sem B)
2. SS5212 - Human Behaviour and Diversity (2022/23 Sem A)

Editorial Board Member

• Humanities & Social Sciences Communications - Nature Journal - SSCI-indexed (Impact factor=3.5)

Reviewer

• Journals of Gerontology Series B (SSCI-indexed)
• Psychological Medicine (SSIC-indexed)
• American Journal of Preventive Medicine (SSIC-indexed)
• British Journal of Social Work (SSIC-indexed)