Dr. Salma M. Khaled, PhD, is a Research Associate Professor at the Social and Economic Survey Research Institute, Qatar University. Her research interests are focused on the biopsychosocial determinants of mental health and illness. With Bachelor degree in Psychology and a doctoral degree in Community Health Sciences with specialization in Epidemiology, she brings a unique perspective to research in this area that aims at bridging the gap between non-clinical and clinical perspectives of mental health and disease. Dr. Khaled is a principal investigator of the World Mental Health – Qatar(Tap here for more) the first epidemiological study of mental disorders in Qatar. She is also a principal investigator on many national and international collaborations aimed at measuring and understanding psychological phenomena and international diagnostic classifications in the context of Arabic-speaking populations of Qatar and the Middle East.

Academic Positions

  • Present2019

    Joint appointment with College of Medicine

    Population Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar

  • Present2017

    Joint appointment with Department of Public Health

    Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar

  • Present2014

    Associate Professor of Research

    Social & Economic Survey Research Institute (SESRI), Qatar University, Doha, Qatar

  • May 2014Sep 2012

    Health System Data Analyst & Project Lead

    Health Quality Council of Alberta, Calgary, Alberta

  • May 2012July 2010

    Analyst

    Statistics Canada, Microdata Access Division, Government of Canada

  • June 2010Jan 2010

    Statistical Assistant

    Statistics Canada, Microdata Access Division, Government of Canada

Education

  • Ph.D 2012

    Epidemiology

    University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada

  • “The Association between Cigarette Smoking and Major Depression in the Canadian Population: a Longitudinal Investigation of Competing Non-causal and Causal Models.”
  • BSc 2005

    Psychology (First Class Honours)

    University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Research Training

  • Postdoctoral Jan 2012 – August 2012

    Postdoctoral Fellow

    Department of Cardiac Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta

  • Doctoral 2006 - 2011

    Doctoral training

    Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta

  • Undergraduate 2004 – 2005

    Undergraduate Honours Research Program

    Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta

Awards and Distinctions

  • 2018
    Best Research Poster of Faculty in Humanities & Social Sciences, Qatar University’s (QU) Annual Research Forum & Exhibition
  • 2007 - 2012
    Alberta Heritage for Medical Research Doctoral Studentship

  • 2008 - 2009
    Prairie Regional Data Center Incentive Grant

  • 2006 - 2008
    Queen Elizabeth II Scholarship

  • 2003 - 2005
    Canadian Millennium Scholarship

  • 2003 - 2004
    Dean’s List

  • 2003
    Jason Lang Scholarship

Grants

  • 2021-2023
    Collaborative Grant, Qatar University, “Quality of life and mental health of women with breast cancer in Qatar”.
  • 2020-2021
    Emergency Response Grant, Qatar University, “Qatar - Longitudinal Assessment of Mental Health in Pandemics (Q-LAMP)” .
  • 2019-2020
    Student Grant Application, Qatar University, “The Association Between Depressive Symptoms and Weight Loss Stages in Qatar: A Cross-Sectional General Population Investigation”
  • 2019-2021
    High Impact Internal Grant, Qatar University, “The effect of poor sleep on severe mental illness symptomology in young adults: An opportunity for early preventative interventions?”
  • 2019-2022
    International Partnership, “Prevalence, clinical characterisation and brain connectomics of mental disorder in Qatar: a nationwide study”, Hamad Medical Corporation (Qatar) - Cambridge and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (UK)
  • 2019-2023
    National Priorities Research Program , Qatar Foundation “Prevalence Estimates and Potential Risk Factors of Psychotic Experiences in Student and Clinical Populations in Qatar: an Exploratory Study”
  • 2016-2017
    National Priorities Research Program, Qatar Foundation “Qatari adolescents: How do they use digital technologies for health information and health monitoring?”
  • 2015-2018
    Academic Health System-HSRIIG, Hamad Medical Corporation “Health Heart Survey (QHHS) - A study of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) knowledge, health beliefs, and prevention skills in Qatar”

Abstracts and Presentations

  • Dec 2019
    Khaled SM, Woodruff P. Daher S. Prevalence and Potential Determinants of Insomnia Disorder in the General Population of Qatar. 8th International Mental Health Conference, Doha, Qatar. TAP FOR MORE
  • Aug 2019
    Khaled SM, Woodruff P. Schizotypal Personality and Childhood Trauma in the Continuum of Psychosis: Evidence from Qatar. 19th WPA World Psychiatry Congress, Lisbon, Portugal. TAP FOR MORE
  • Dec 2018
    Khaled SM, Woodruff P. Psychotic experiences: prevalence and potential gene-environment determinants in a Middle East general population sample. 7th International Mental Health Conference, Doha, Qatar. TAP FOR MORE
  • Nov 2018
    Khaled SM. Gender Differences in Prevalence and Type of potentially Traumatizing Childhood Experiences in Qatari Adolescents. First International Multidisciplinary Conference on Behavioral Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
  • Oct 2018
    Khaled SM, Woodruff P. Psychotic experiences: prevalence and potential gene-environment determinants in a Middle East general population sample. International Consortium on Hallucination Research and Related Symptoms, Kyoto, Japan.
  • Mar 2018
    Khaled SM. Health Information and Monitoring among Qatari Adolescents: an Overview. Qatar Foundation (QF) Annual Research Conference (ARC ‘18) which was held at the Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC), Doha, Qatar.
  • Dec 2016
    Khaled SM. Exploring the Epidemiology of Psychological Distress Among University Female Students in Qatar. Oral presentation at the 5th Qatar International Mental Health Conference: Doha, Qatar.
  • Oct 2015
    Khaled SM, Abdul Rahim HF. The Effect of Citizenship status on Satisfaction with Healthcare Services. Oral presentation at the International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQua): Doha, Qatar.
  • Apr 2009
    Khaled SM, Bulloch A, Williams J, Lavorato D & Patten SB. Major Depression as a risk factor for development of Nicotine Dependence. Oral presentation at the International Federation of Psychiatric Epidemiology Congress: Vienna, Austria.
  • 2020
    Khaled SM. & Woodruff P. Petcu C. Al-Thani M. Qatar University Annual Research Conference, Doha, Qatar. TAP FOR MORE
  • Apr 2019
    Khaled SM. & Woodruff P. Petcu C. Al-Thani M. Qatar University Annual Research Conference, Doha, Qatar. TAP FOR MORE
  • Apr 2019
    Khaled SM. & Woodruff P. Petcu C. Al-Thani M. Qatar University Annual Research Conference, Doha, Qatar. TAP FOR MORE
  • Apr 2018
    Khaled SM, Woodruff P. Psychotic experiences: prevalence and risk factors in a population sample. 49th Middle East Medical Assembly, American University of Beirut Medical Center Beirut, Lebanon.
  • Apr 2017
    Khaled SM. The Epidemiology of Psychological Distress: A snapshot of the Mental Health Status of Qatar’s Female University Students. Qatar University Annual Research Conference. TAP FOR MORE
  • Apr 2017
    Khaled SM, Quitteina Y, Nasrallah C, Shockley B, Le Trung K, Kimmel L.Why Hips Don’t Lie: Acute Impact of Model & Celebrity Images on Body Image Perception on Young Arab Women. Qatar University Annual Research Conference. TAP FOR MORE
  • Nov 2007
    Khaled SM & Patten SB. Cigarette smoking and Major Depression in the Canadian Population. Poster presentation at the Mental Health Research Showcase: Banff, Alberta.
  • Oct 2007
    Khaled SM, Mitchell RT, Kavanagh KM, Ramadan D, Aggarwal SG, Noulett C, Patten SB, Van Schaik A & Exner DV. Impact of Depression Status on Relapse and Quitting in Smokers Post-MI. Poster presentation at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress, Quebec City.

Areas of Expertise

  • Psychiatric Epidemiology
  • Transcultural Psychiatry
  • Measurement and Analysis in Psychiatric Research
  • Lifestyle and Behavioral Mental Health

Data Analysis Computer Skills

  • STATA, MPlus, R

Language Proficiency

  • Native Level Proficiency in Arabic and English

Membership And Associations

  • Canadian Association of Psychiatric Epidemiology (2010-present)
  • Society of Epidemiologic Research (2019-present)
  • Schizophrenia International Research Society (2019-present)

Initiatives

  • World Mental Health Survey initiative