Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov has devoted the past decade to palliative care research. His program of research has explored various psychosocial issues in the end of life care. Because of his work, more is known about the prevalence of depression in patients nearing death, and health care providers are better able to detect and treat clinical depression in the terminally ill. His studies on “Desire for Death” (published in the American Journal of Psychiatry) and “Will to Live” (published in The Lancet). The work on depression and suicidal thinking in patients receiving palliative care is bed rock in any consideration of legalizing assisted suicide. This work persuaded the Special Senate Committee, to support improved end-of-life care for all Canadians. His work on dignity is ground breaking. Chochinov and colleagues have brought light, clarity and relevance to this important concept.
Dr. Chochinov’s work has been widely recognized and he has been the recipient of several awards and honors. He has been a lecturer and invited scholar to most academic institutions across North America and abroad. He has been a Medical Research Council of Canada Scientist, and a Canadian Institute of Health Research Investigator. He is the recipient of this country’s only Canada Research Chair in Palliative Care, and with recent funding has established one of Canada’s only palliative care research units designated to study psychosocial issues as they pertain to end of life care. He has spearheaded the development and launch of the Canadian Virtual Hospice, an interactive network for patients, families and health care providers, dealing with life-threatening illness and loss.
