Dr. Nibene H. Somé is a scientist and health economist with the Institute for Mental Health Policy Research at CAMH. He is also an adjunct lecturer in the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto, and an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Western University.
Areas of research
Dr. Somé applies economic and statistical/econometric methods to evaluate healthcare policies that are designed to affect the supply of healthcare services and improve patients’ outcomes. His research uses large administrative datasets to assess how healthcare financing systems, financial incentives from physician compensation models, and policies influence the production of health (including mental health) services, costs, and health outcomes. He also uses surveys data to examine association between mental health indicators and alcohol and cannabis use during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He is interested in the application of machine learning techniques in healthcare. His current research is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health (MOH) with the aims of: 1) developing statistical and machine learning models to identify risk factors for COVID-19 and its outcomes (including hospitalization and mortality) in people with mental health and substance use/addiction problems, 2) estimating healthcare costs and utilization for people at high-risk of contracting COVID-19, and, 3) evaluating potential inequalities in access to COVID-19 testing.
Publications
View Dr. Somé's publications on Google Scholar.