Dr. Ian Colman

Biography

Dr. Colman is a Professor in the School of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Ottawa. He received his Bachelor in Mathematics in 1994 from the University of Waterloo, his MSc in Epidemiology in 2000 from the University of Alberta, and his PhD in Psychiatry in 2007 from the University of Cambridge.

Dr. Colman directs the Applied Psychiatric Epidemiology Across the Life course (APEAL) Lab, and was the Canada Research Chair in Mental Health Epidemiology from 2011 to 2021. His research program investigates the epidemiology of common mental illnesses in the general population. His current focus is understanding longitudinal and life-course processes surrounding depression and anxiety, with a particular interest in identifying early-life factors that may predict depression and anxiety later in life. In addition, he has interests in long-term outcomes of common mental disorders and their treatment, and the epidemiology of suicidal behaviour.

Dr. Colman has published widely, including papers in the British Medical Journal, the Canadian Medical Association Journal, the American Journal of Psychiatry and Biological Psychiatry.

Selected publications

1. Kingsbury M, Sucha E, Manion I, Gilman S, Colman I. Adolescent mental health following exposure to positive and harsh parenting in childhood. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 2020;65:392–400.
2. Colman I. Responsible reporting to prevent suicide contagion. Canadian Medical Association Journal 2018;190:E898-E899.
3. Clayborne ZM, Varin M, Colman I. Adolescent depression and long-term psychosocial outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 2019;58:72-79.
4. Pollock NJ, Naicker K, Loro A, Mulay S, Colman I. Global incidence of suicide among Indigenous Peoples: a systematic review. BMC Medicine 2018;16:145.
5. MacKinnon N, Kingsbury M, Mahedy L, Evans J, Colman I. The Association Between Prenatal Stress and Externalizing Symptoms in Childhood: Evidence From the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Biol Psychiatry. 2018 Jan 15;83(2):100-108.
6. Gilman SE, Sucha E, Kingsbury M, Horton NJ, Murphy JM, Colman I. Depression and mortality in a longitudinal study: 1952-2011. CMAJ. 2017 Oct 23;189(42):E1304-E1310.
7. Kingsbury M, Weeks M, MacKinnon N, Evans J, Mahedy L, Dykxhoorn J, Colman I. Stressful Life Events During Pregnancy and Offspring Depression: Evidence From aProspective Cohort Study. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2016 Aug;55(8):709-716.
8. Colman I, Kingsbury M, Garad Y, Zeng Y, Naicker K, Patten S, Jones PB, Wild TC, Thompson AH. Consistency in adult reporting of adverse childhood experiences. Psychol Med. 2016 Feb;46(3):543-9.
9. Swanson SA, Colman I. Association between exposure to suicide and suicidality outcomes in youth. CMAJ. 2013 Jul 9;185(10):870-7.
10. McMartin SE, Jacka FN, Colman I. The association between fruit and vegetable consumption and mental health disorders: evidence from five waves of a national survey of Canadians. Prev Med. 2013 Mar;56(3-4):225-30.
11. Colman I, Naicker K, Zeng Y, Ataullahjan A, Senthilselvan A, Patten SB. Predictors of long-term prognosis of depression. CMAJ. 2011 Nov 22;183(17):1969-76.
12. Colman I, Ataullahjan A. Life course perspectives on the epidemiology of depression. Can J Psychiatry. 2010 Oct;55(10):622-32.
13. Colman I, Murray J, Abbott RA, Maughan B, Kuh D, Croudace TJ, Jones PB. Outcomes of conduct problems in adolescence: 40 year follow-up of national cohort. BMJ. 2009 Jan 8;338:a2981.
14. Colman I, Ploubidis GB, Wadsworth ME, Jones PB, Croudace TJ. A longitudinal typology of symptoms of depression and anxiety over the life course. Biol Psychiatry. 2007 Dec 1;62(11):1265-71.
15. Colman I, Wadsworth ME, Croudace TJ, Jones PB. Forty-year psychiatric outcomes following assessment for internalizing disorder in adolescence. Am J Psychiatry. 2007 Jan;164(1):126-33.