Wei Zhang

(she/her)

Research Scientist, Health Economics, MA, PhD

 

Appointments

  • Assistant Professor, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia
  • Scientist and Program Head of Health Economics, Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes, Providence Health Care Research Institute

 

Research Interests

  • Productivity loss measurement and valuation
  • Economic evaluation
  • Pharmaceutical policy
  • Health economics

 

Dr. Wei Zhang is a health economist and assistant professor in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at UBC. She is also a Scientist and Program Head of Health Economics at the Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes (formerly CHÉOS). Dr. Zhang completed a MA in Economics from the University of Ottawa and a PhD in Health Care and Epidemiology from the UBC School of Population and Public Health. She also completed post-doctoral fellowship at CHÉOS and UBC.

Her research aim is to integrate theoretical and empirical findings with health policies, services, and practices through the application of economic theories and methods in health research. As a Michael Smith Health Research BC Scholar, Dr. Zhang’s program of research focuses on developing methods that measure and value work productivity loss among patients and caregivers as an important patient-reported outcome and cost component from a societal perspective; and applying these methods in economic evaluations of new health care interventions to inform health care decision making. Her research has recently been expanded to include pharmaceutical policy and access to medicines, and the linkage of pharmaceutical databases to increase research capacity.

Publications

 

Selected publications and full list can be accessed on https://scholar.google.ca/citations?hl=en&user=A8g4iHEAAAAJ

L’Heureux J, McTaggart-Cowan H, Johns G, Chen L, Steiner T, Tocher P, Sun H, Zhang W. How to present work productivity loss results from clinical trials for patients and caregivers? A mixed methods approach. Social Science & Medicine. 2023;328:115999. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.115999

Browne IL, Zhang W, Sutton AJ. Exploring the approach to parameter uncertainty in early economic evaluations of surgical technology – A systematic review. Expert Review of Pharmacoeconomics & Outcomes Research. 2023;23(1):29-41. doi: 10.1080/14737167.2023.2145946

Zhang W, Tocher P, L’Heureux J, Sou J, Sun H. Measuring, analyzing and presenting work productivity loss in randomized controlled trials: A scoping review. Value in Health. 2023;26:123-37. doi: 10.1016/j.jval.2022.06.015Moradpour J, Zhang W, Grootendorst P, Anis AH, Hollis A. Modeling tiered pricing frameworks: a simulation approach. Value in Health. 2023;26:351-358. doi: 10.1016/j.jval.2022.11.003

Zhang W, Sun H, L’Heureux J. The impact of caregiving length and intensity on labour force participation among middle-aged Canadians: An analysis of CLSA data. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2022;64(11):e774-e781. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002696

Tam ACT, Steck VA, Janjua S, Liu TY, Murphy RA, Zhang W†, Conklin AI†. A systematic review of evidence on employment transitions and weight change by gender in ageing populations. PLOS ONE. 2022;17(8):e0273218. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273218

Zhang W, Sun H, Gelfand A, Sawatzky R, Pearce A, Anis AH, Prescott K, Lee C. Working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic: The association with work productivity loss among patients and caregivers. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2022;64(11):e677-e684. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002663

Zhang W, Sun H, Guh DP, Lynd L, Hollis A, Grootendorst P, Anis AH. The impact of tiered pricing framework on generic entry in Canada. International Journal of Health Policy and Management. 2022;11:768-76. doi: 10.34172/ijhpm.2020.215

Gelfand A, Sou J, Sawatzky R, Prescott K, Pearce A, Anis AH, Lee C, Zhang W. Valuation of lost productivity in caregivers: A validation study. Frontiers in Psychology. 2021;12:727871. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.727871

Zhang W, Sun H, L’Heureux J. Substitutes or complements between informal and formal home care in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging: functional impairment as an effect modifier. Health Policy. 2021;125(9):1267-1275. doi: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2021.07.004

Zhang W, Sun H. How to analyze work productivity loss due to health problems in randomized controlled trials? A simulation study. BMC Medical Research Methodology. 2021;21:130. doi: 10.1186/s12874-021-01330-w

Zhang W, Guh DP, Sun H, Lynd L, Hollis A, Grootendorst P, Anis AH. Factors associated with drug shortages in Canada: A retrospective cohort study. CMAJ Open. 2020;8:E535-E544. doi: 10.9778/cmajo.20200036

Zhang W, Sun H. Formal and informal care received by middle-aged and older adults with chronic conditions in Canada: CLSA data. PLOS ONE. 2020;15(7):e0235774. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235774

Bansback N, Fu E, Sun H, Guh D, Zhang W, Lacaille D, Milbers K, Anis AH. Do biologic therapies for rheumatoid arthritis offset treatment-related resource utilization and cost? A review of the literature and an instrumental variable analysis. Current Rheumatology Reports. 2017;19(9):54. doi: 10.1007/s11926-017-0680-6

Zhang W, McLeod C, Koehoorn M. The relationship between chronic conditions and absenteeism and associated costs in Canada. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health. 2016;42(5):413-22. doi: 10.5271/sjweh.3583

Zhang W, Bansback N, Sun H, Pedersen R, Kotak S, Anis A. The impact of etanercept tapering on work productivity in patients with early Rheumatoid Arthritis: results from the PRIZE study. RMD Open. 2016;2(2):e000222. doi: 10.1136/rmdopen-2015-000222

Zhang W, Bansback N, Sun H, Pedersen R, Kotak S, Anis A. Estimating the monetary value of the annual productivity gained in patients with early Rheumatoid Arthritis receiving etanercept plus methotrexate: Interim results from the PRIZE study. RMD Open. 2015;1:e000042. doi: 10.1136/rmdopen-2014-000042

Zhang W, Islam N, Ma C, Anis AH. Systematic review of cost-effectiveness analyses of treatments for psoriasis. Pharmacoeconomics. 2015;33(4):327-40. doi: 10.1007/s40273-014-0244-9

Zhang W, Bansback N, Boonen A, Severens JL, Anis AH. Development of a composite questionnaire, the Valuation Of Lost Productivity, to value productivity losses: application in rheumatoid arthritis. Value in Health. 2012;15(1):46-54. doi: 10.1016/j.jval.2011.07.009

Zhang W, Bansback N, Kopec J, Anis A. Measuring time input loss among patients with rheumatoid arthritis: validity and reliability of the Valuation of Lost Productivity questionnaire. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2011;53:530-6. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0b013e318218abf1

Zhang W, Bansback N, Anis AH. Measuring and valuing productivity loss due to poor health: A critical review. Social Science & Medicine. 2011;72:185-92. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.10.026