Barbara J Astle, PhD, RN

Director, MSN Program; Professor of Nursing
I passionately believe in the importance of working alongside my students, colleagues, and partners, in order that we learn together, evolve, and move forward in achieving health equity in global health and the emerging field of Planetary Health. I think it is imperative that we have a shared understanding of the indispensable interconnectedness of human health to the health of the planet.

Astle is the Director of the Master in Science (MSN) program. She is currently a consultant on the TWU COVID-19 Health and Safety Task Force. Astle is recognized as a leader in global health education, research literacy, and for her involvement in numerous national and international organizations. Astle is co-editor for the Canadian Fundamentals of Nursing Undergraduate textbook, which includes a Global Health Chapter, a first in such a textbook. In addition, Astle co-authored an interdisciplinary textbook on research literacy for health and community practice.

Astle is Co-Chair for the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) Competency Sub-committee, Washington, DC; Advisory Board Member for the Global Nursing Caucus (CNC), Boston, MA; Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research (CGHR), served as Chair and Past Chair for the Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH), Ottawa, ON, and is Founding Member for Women in Global Health (WGH) Canadian Chapter launched in 2020. She was a recipient of the Excellence in Nursing Education Award by the Association of Registered Nurses in British Columbia, Canada (2017) acknowledging her research, education, and mentorship in global health.  In 2020, Astle was an Inductee to the Canadian Women in Global Health List, which recognizes the achievements of established leaders in global health.

Astle’s research focuses on areas of global health, planetary health, health equity, human rights, gender, and research literacy related to education, and population health. She is currently leading an international survey on the utilization of interprofessional global health competencies. Astle co-leads an international interdisciplinary research team studying mothering, albinism, and human rights in mapping patterns of resilience at the juncture of gender, colorism, and religion in Tanzania, South Africa, and Ghana.

She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in global health, health policy, knowledge translation, and research literacy.

  • PhD in Nursing (University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada)
  • Master of Nursing (University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada)
  • Bachelor Science in Nursing (University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada)

Expertise

Astle’s expertise focuses on global health and health equity education; research related to: global citizenship and competency-based curriculum in global and planetary health (undergraduate / graduate / host competencies); equity-centred principles for global health education and research; global educational / research partnerships; local/global clinical placements; albinism and human rights; gender; indigenous health; stigma; pandemic response; integrated knowledge translation and innovative pedagogies for research literacy.

Research methodologies: critical perspectives; interpretive description; qualitative / participatory action research; research-policy-advocacy networks; survey methods.

Selected Current Research

  • Mothering, albinism, and human rights in Africa: Mapping patterns of resilience at the juncture of gender, colourism, and religion. ($289,592).  Reimer-Kirkham, S. (applicant); Co-applicants:  Astle, B., Beaman, L., Ibhawow, B., Tettey, W.; Collaborators: Ero, IK., Imafidon, E., Sharma, S.,  Panchuk, K.; Site Collaborators: Senkora, P., Rwela, E., Mgijima-Konopi, I., Kromberg, J., Mazibuko, G., Waifi, B. Funding: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Insight (2019 – 2023). See: Motheringandalbinism.com
  • Guidelines for healthcare providers’ application of patient-centred measurement (PCM) data in practice. ($147.974.28).  Wolf, A (PI); Co-Is:  Astle, B., Gibson, D., Liva, S., Musto, L., Reimer-Kirkham, S., Dixon, D., Hejazi, S., Neptune, A., Howard, F., Vedam, S., Stoll, K., Edwards, L., Oelke, N. Collaborators: Urbina-Beggs, M., McNeil, S., Williams, I., Zadeh, Z., Gidda, R., Butcher, C., Burrow, A., Oyedel, S., Tarrant, M.  (2019 – 2023).
  • Utilization of Consortium of Universities for Global Health Competency Toolkit: A Survey. Astle, B (PI); Co-Is: Cheema, S., Dougherty, A., Nnodim, I. Jehn, M., Pomerani, T., & Matthews, S. (2019-2021).
  • The welfare and security of persons with albinism: Developing a research-policy network to address the interplay of spiritual/cultural practices and human rights.  ($74,890).  Principal Investigator: S. Reimer-Kirkham, S. Co-applicants:  Astle, B., Beaman, L., Ibhawow, B., Tettey, W; Consultants:  Ero, IK, Dixon, D., Sawatzky, R., HQP:  Panchuk, K. Funding: SSHRC Insight Development Grant (2017 – 2019).

Awards & Honors

Selected Awards & Honors

  • Canadian Women in Global Health (CWIGH) Inductee (2020)
  • University Senate, Trinity Western University (2019-2023)
  • Outstanding Collaboration Team Award, TWU School of Nursing (2018)
  • Award of Excellence in Nursing Education, Association of Registered Nurses of British Columbia, (2017)
  • Global Nursing Leadership Institute Award International Council of Nurses (ICN), Burdett Trust for Nursing (2012)

Recent Publications

Recent (Selected) Publications

  • Astle, B. (2021). Planetary health in nursing: A transdisciplinary equity-centered approach. Creative Nursing, 27(4). (Special edition). 27(1), 237-241.
  • Astle, B. (2021). Global Health Nursing: Emerging Issues and Events locally and beyond. In L. McCleary & T. McParland (Eds.). Ross-Kerr and Wood’s Canadian Nursing Issues & Perspectives (6th ed.). Elsevier.
  • Wolff, A., Dresslhuis, A., Hejazi, S., Dixon, D., Gibson, D., Liva, S., Astle, B., Reimer-Kirkham, S., Noonan, V.K., & Edwards, L. (2021). Healthcare providers’ implementation of patient-centred outcomes measures (PROMS) and patient-reported experience measures (PREMs) in practice: A protocal for a mixed method systematic review. Systematic Reviews.
  • Faerron- Guzmán, C., Aguirre, A., Astle, B., Bayles, B., Barros, E., Chimbari, M., Barros, E., El-Abbadi, N., Evert, J., Hackett, F., Howard, C., Middleton, J., Wilson, L., Jennings, J., Krzyzek, A., LeClair, J., Maric, F., Martin, O., Osano, O., Pratz, J., Potter, T., Redvers, N., Trienekens, N., Walpole, S., Wilson, L., Xu, C., & Zylstra, M. The Planetary Health Education Framework. (Planetary Health Alliance). (2021). https://www.planetaryhealthalliance.org/education-framework   https://planetaryhealthalliance.org/education
  • Faerron Guzmán, C.A., Aguirre, A., Astle, B., Barros, E., Bayles, B., Chimbari, M., Evert, J., Hackett,F., Howard, C., LeClair, J., Maric. F., Martin, O., Osano, O., Patz, J., Potter, T., Redvers, N., Trienekens, N., Walpole, S., Wilson, L., Xu, C., Zylstra, M., Krzyzek, A., & Jenkins, J. (2021). A Framework to Guide Planetary Health Education. Lancet Planetary Health. [Commentary] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2542519621001108
  • Astle, B., & Mgijma-Konopi, I. (2021). Re-imagining virtual field research during a Global Pandemic: Shifting Methods – Part I. https://motheringandalbinism.com
  • Jakubec, S., & Astle, B. (Eds.). (Dec. 2021). Research literacy for nurses and health professionals (2nd ed.). Canadian Scholar’s Press/Women’s Press.
  • Astle, B., Reimer-Kirkham. S., Theron, M., & Lee, X. (2020).  An innovative online knowledge translation curriculum in graduate education. WORLDViews on Evidence-Based Nursing. 1-10.
  • Stallwood, L., Adu, P. A., Tairyan, K., & Astle, B., Yassi, A., (2020). Applying equity-centered principles in an interprofessional global health course: A mixed methods study. BMC Medical Education. 20(224), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020-02141-1
  • Johnson, B., Astle, B., Jalovcic, E., & Mac-Seing, M. (2020). The COVID-19 Pandemic and Building Back Better in Canada’s Long-Term Care Facilities. Women in Global Health (WGH) Canada http://www.csih.org/en/blog/covid-19-pandemic-and-building-back-better-canadas-long-term-care-facilities
  • Reimer-Kirkham. S., Astle, B, Iro, I., Imafidon, E., & Strobell, E. (2020). Mothering, albinism, and human rights: The disproportionate impact of health-related stigma in Tanzania. Foundations of Science. [Open-access]. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10699-020-09701-0
  • Astle, B., Bourque-Bearskin, L., Dordunoo, D., Egert, A., Houweling, R., Moen, N., Plamondon, K., Radu, R., Sanderson, D., & Smith, C. (2020.01.07). Nurses for planetary health: A call to action. Blog; Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of British Columbia. https://www.nnpbc.com/nurses-for-planetary-health-a-call-to-action/
  • Ero, I., Reimer-Kirkham, S., Astle, B., Strobell, E., & Buyco, M. (in-press). Women human rights defenders: A case of activism of mothers of children with albinism in Tanzania. In V. Pineda & D. Wakene (Eds.). Handbook of Critical Disability Studies. Springer. [Invited]
  • Jakubec, S., & Astle, B. (In Review). Research literacy for health and community practice (2nd ed.). Canadian Scholar’s Press / Women’s Press.
  • Astle, B., Faerron, C., Landry, A., Romocki, L., & Evert, J. (Co-editors). (2019). Global Health Education Competencies Tool Kit (2nd ed). Washington, DC: CUGH. https://www.cugh.org/resources/2063
  • Spence, N., Kara, T, Plamondon, K., Astle, B., & Joe-Ikechebelu, N. (2019; Invited paper).  Adopting a health equity lens in emergency management. HazNet Magazine. [The magazine of the Canadian Risk and Hazards Network], 13(2), 1-23.
  • Reimer-Kirkham, S., Astle, B., Ero, I., Panchuk, K., Dixon, D. (2019). Albinism, spiritual and cultural practices, and implications for health healthcare, and human rights: A scoping review. Disability & Society, 34(5) 747-774.
  • Theron, M., Astle, B., Duncan, D. & Redman, A. (2019). Beyond checklists: A nursing informatics education strategy for undergraduate nursing students appraising health information on social networking sites (SNS) / Au-delà des listes de vérification : Une stratégie de formation infirmière au numérique pour l’évaluation, par les étudiantes de premier cycle, des informations sur la santé présentes sur les sites des réseaux sociaux (SRS)," Quality Advancement in Nursing Education - Avancées en formation infirmière, 5(1) Article 6.
  • Houweling, R., & Astle, B. (2018). Principles to guide a volunteer humanitarian faith-based short-term medical mission (STMM) in Nepal: A case study. Christian Journal for Global Health. 5(3), 35-42.
  • Cherniak, W., Latham, E., Astle, B., Anguyo, G., Beaunoir, T., Buenaventura, J., DeCamp, M., Diaz, K., Eichbaum, Q., Hedimbi, M., Myser, C., Nwobu, C., Standish, K., & Evert, J. (2017). Visiting trainees in global settings: Host and partner perspectives on desirable competencies and learning objectives. Annals of Global Health. 83(2), 359-368.

Affiliations & Memberships

  • Advisory Board Member, Canadian Coalition for Global Health Reserach (CCGHR)
  • Advisory Board Member, Global Nursing Caucus (GNC), Boston, MA.
  • Co-Director and Founding Member, TWU Centre for Equity and Global Engagement
  • Founding Member, Mu Sigma, Sigma Theta Tau International Honour Society
  • Founding Member, Women in Global Health (WGH) Canadian Chapter
  • International Advisory and Editorial Board, Christian Journal for Global Health
  • Member, Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH)
  • Member, Canadian Women in Global Health (CWIGH) Working Group
  • Member, Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH)
  • Member, Gender Equity Hub – Women in Global Health
  • Member, Western and Region Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing
  • Registered Nurse, British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM)

  • NURS 224 Evidence-Informed Practice
  • NURS 227 Global Health, Humanitarian & Global Missions
  • NURS 484 Leadership in Nursing         
  • NURS 520 Knowledge Synthesis
  • NURS 530 Nursing Inquiry 1 (Qualitative Research)
  • NURS 550 Health Care Policy
  • NURS 621 Perspectives on Nursing Leadership
  • NURS 692/693 Knowledge Translation
  • SPPH 581K DL Practical Knowledge and Skills for Working in Global Health [Tri-University Course: Trinity Western University (TWU), University of British Columbia (UBC), and Simon Fraser University (SFU)]
  • Directed Studies Global Health