Health outcomes of Anglophones after pregnancy: Differences in access compared with Francophones in Québec

In Québec, Anglophone women face higher rates of pregnancy complications (e.g., preterm birth, stillbirth, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes), which are linked to long-term risks such as mental illness and type 2 diabetes.

Using a longitudinal cohort of all pregnancies in Québec (2006–2022), this study examines whether Anglophone women have a higher risk of hospitalization for mental illness and type 2 diabetes up to 17 years postpartum, compared to Francophones. It also assesses how factors like socioeconomic status and education influence these risks.

The goal is to better understand long-term health disparities and identify groups who may benefit from improved access to care.

Outputs:

Coming soon…

Helping members of English-speaking communities in Quebec make good health decisions thanks to digital patient decision aids.

Many people in Québec lack access to a trusted health professional who can answer questions in depth and in their primary language—especially English-speaking communities outside major centres like Montreal. As a result, many turn to online health information, which can be accurate but complex, overly simplified, or misleading.

Our team has developed customizable, evidence-based digital decision support tools that provide clear, tailored health information. This project evaluates whether these tools help English-speaking communities in Québec make more informed health decisions and improve access to reliable care guidance.

Outputs:

Coming soon…

Exploring Pediatric Trainees’ Experiences Using AI-Supported Deliberate Practice to Improve Serious Illness Conversations with English-Speaking Families in Quebec

Talking with patients and families about serious illnesses is one of the most important—and hardest—parts of being a pediatric doctor. Residents (doctors in training) need to be able to guide these conversations with care and empathy. But they often do not get enough chances to practice, and sometimes their first serious illness conversation happens with a real family. This can be stressful for families and for the resident, and it can affect how well information and support are shared.

For English-speaking families in Quebec, there are extra challenges. Most medical training and many clinical discussions happen in French. This means residents have very few chances to practice these important conversations in English. When doctors are not able to practice in a family’s preferred language, it can lead to misunderstandings or less compassionate care. This is especially important for English-speaking patients and families in Quebec’s Official Language Minority Communities.

 This project will test a new way to help residents practice. An artificial intelligence (AI) training tool will let pediatric residents practice serious illness conversations in English in a safe and realistic way. The tool gives residents repeated opportunities to try difficult conversations and learn from feedback, without risking distress for real families.

Residents who use the tool will take part in interviews to share what they thought about it, how it helped them, and how it could be improved. The results will help create better training programs and improve communication and care for English-speaking children and families in Quebec

Outputs:

Coming soon…

Empowering Communication: The perspective of English-speaking patients with ALS in Quebec on voice cloning technologies

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative motor neuron disease that often leads to the loss of speech, significantly affecting communication and quality of life. As speech deteriorates, persons with ALS (pALS) increasingly rely on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools (e.g. text-to-speech apps). Traditional voice preservation methods require extensive recordings and may not fully capture the emotional expressiveness or identity of the speaker. Voice cloning – a technology using artificial intelligence – can replicate a person’s voice using only a short audio sample. It offers a faster, more accessible, and potentially more natural-sounding alternative.

This project aims to evaluate the perception of voice cloning technologies among Anglophone pALS in Quebec.

Through a mixed-methods approach involving interviews, questionnaires, and hands-on use of voice cloning tools, we will explore how pALS perceive the naturalness, expressiveness, and identity preservation of their synthetic voices created with voice cloning technology. We will also assess how factors such as the severity of speech impairments, recording length, and recording tasks influence their perception.

The findings will inform the development of clinical guidelines for speech-language pathologists and support shared decision-making between clinicians and patients. Ultimately, our research seeks to empower pALS to maintain their voice, identity, and social participation throughout the progression of their disease.

Outputs:

March 2026
Invited presentation, Les 1res Rencontres RésO-MAP (Paris). Presented project and strengthened collaboration with Hôpital Fondation A. de Rothschild.

December 2025
Poster, Allied Professionals Forum (International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations), Toronto.
Kheloufi, Y., & Bouvier, L.Empowering Communication: Evaluating Voice Cloning for Anglophone ALS Patients in Quebec.

Establishing partnership with ElevenLabs and Bridging Voice.

November 2025
Oral presentation, Communauté de pratique orthophonique en SLA/MMN du Québec (Montreal).
Kheloufi, Y.AI Voice Cloning in ALS.