Marie Tarrant, RN, MPH, PhD

(She, Her, Hers)

Provost and Vice-President Academic

Faculty of Health and Social Development, Global Studies, Power, Conflict and Ideas
Other Titles: Professor
Email: marie.tarrant@ubc.ca

Graduate student supervisor


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Research Summary

Maternal and Child Health; Breastfeeding; Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative; Maternal and Childhood Vaccine Uptake; Influenza Vaccine

Biography

Dr. Marie Tarrant is Provost and Vice-President, Academic pro tem and a professor in the School of Nursing at UBC’s Okanagan campus.

She was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Development in January 2023, after serving as Dean pro tem since January 2022. Prior to her role as Dean, Dr. Tarrant led the School of Nursing as Director from 2016 to 2021. Before joining UBC, she was the Deputy Head of the School of Nursing at the University of Hong Kong.

Dr. Tarrant is the lead investigator in the School of Nursing Maternal and Child Health Lab and is a frequently cited UBC expert on maternal and child health issues. Her areas of research focus are breastfeeding, including the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative to protect, promote and support breastfeeding, and maternal and childhood vaccine hesitancy. The goal of Dr. Tarrant’s research is to improve maternal and child health outcomes, inform public health policies and transform perinatal healthcare services. Dr. Tarrant has co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications that appear in high-impact maternal and child health and public health journals.

During her career, she has also practiced as a community and public health nurse in rural and remote areas of Canada, including the far north.

Websites

Google Scholar Profile

Click here for a list of publications indexed in PubMed.

 

Degrees

PhD, Edith Cowan University
MPH, Johns Hopkins University
MN, University of Manitoba
BN, University of Lethbridge

Research Interests & Projects

Vaccine hesitancy in BC: Understanding COVID-19 vaccine perceptions during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and parenthood (funded by Genome BC, the MSFHR, and the BCCDC Foundation).

A systems change project to improve breastfeeding (funded by the Vancouver Foundation)

Assessing attitudes, barriers, and opportunities for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination (HPVV) to inform, develop, implement, and evaluate a culturally appropriate program for increasing utilization and addressing vaccination hesitancy in Arctic Canadian Indigenous communities (funded by CIHR).

Selected Publications & Presentations

(Post-graduate students/research trainees underlined, *indicates senior and/or corresponding author)

  1. Fan, H. S. L., Fong, D. Y. T., Wittenberg, K., Mantai, K., Chooniedass, R., Hubick, R., Grewal, R. & Tarrant, M.* (2026, accepted). Virtual health interventions to improve breastfeeding outcomes: a systematic review. Pediatrics.
  2. Fan, H. S. L., Masina, S., Chooniedass. R., Keys, E., Dorn, K., Hopkins, M., Liao-Lussier, P., & Tarrant, M.* (2026). Factors associated with COVID-19 vaccination among breastfeeding and pregnant people: application of the Health Belief Model. Sexual and Reproductive Health, 49, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.srhc.2026.101250.
  3. Jang, S. L., Kolahdooz, F., Zakkar, M., Sharma, R., Harris, R., Manning, C., Wagg, A. S., Corriveau, A., Irlbacher-Fox, S., Tarrant, M., & Sharma, S. (2026). Indigenous women’s experiences of prenatal stress and support during pregnancy and childbirth in Northwest Territories: findings from the Maternal and Infant Health Project, Women’s Health, 22, 1-16. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1745505726145687.
  4. Harris, R., Kolahdooz, F., Zakkar, M., Manning, C., Tarrant, M., Corriveau, A., Irlbacher-Fox, S., Wagg, A. & Sharma, S. (2026). Indigenous mothers’ perspectives on how to improve maternal healthcare in the Northwest Territories, Canada: Results from the Maternal and Infant Health Project. Women’s Health, 22, 1-13. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057261445717
  5. Al Amiry, A., Ponder, W. N., Carbajal, J., Tarrant, M., & Cassiello-Robbins, C. (2026). EMS professionals sleep disturbance: a cross-sectional study. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 68(3), 268-273. DOI: 1097/JOM.0000000000003595
  6. Fan, H. S. L., Fong, D. Y. T., Lok, K. Y. W., Chooniedass, R., Wittenberg, K., & Tarrant, M.* (2026). Effect of expressed human milk feeding on breastfeeding duration in term infants: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, 172(1), 173-187. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.70362.
  7. Kolahdooz, F., Zakkar, M., Jang, S. L., Manning, C., Verhaeghe, T., Roache, C., Corriveau, A., DeLancey, D., Wagg, A., Tarrant, M., & Sharma, S. (2025). Oral health practices among Indigenous mothers and young children (0-36 months) in Northwest Territories, Canada. International Journal of Dentistry, 7094004. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/ijod/7094004.
  8. Fan, H. S. L., Choi, E. P. H., Keys, E., Chooniedass. R., Masina, S., Halonen, A., Mantai, K., & Tarrant, M.* (2025). COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Scale: Psychometric properties and validation among pregnant and breastfeeding persons and parents. Vaccine X, 27, 100270. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvacx.2025.100720.
  9. Lok, K. Y. W., Fan, H. S. L., IP, E. H. L., Leung, T. Y., Lau, K. W., Wong, J. Y. H., Choi, E. P. H., Lam, C., Tarrant, M., Ngan, H. Y. S., Ip, P. H., & Lin, C. C. (2025). Building a Baby-Friendly community: Development, strategy, implementation and evaluation of a BFCI program. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 81(11), 7040-7051. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.16267.
  10. Kolahdooz, F., Jang, S. L., Patel, P., Manning, C., Deck, S., Juneja, A., DeLancey, D., Corriveau, A., Irlbacher-Fox, S., Tarrant, M., Cook, S., & Wagg, A. S., & Sharma, S. (2025). “I felt so alone in the process:” Experiences of Indigenous women with maternal medical travel in the Canadian Arctic and opportunities for improvement. Midwifery, 148, 104466. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2025.104466.
  11. Halonen, A., Fan, H. S. L., Masina, S., Chooniedass, R., Keys, E., & Tarrant, M.* (2025). Understanding COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy during parenthood in British Columbia. Vaccine, 61, 127305. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127305.
  12. Fan, H. S. L., Masina, S., Chooniedass. R., Del Buono, K., & Tarrant, M.* (2025). Prevalence of maternal depressive symptoms in Canada during COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada, 47(7), 102940. DOI: 1016/j.jogc.2025.102940
  13. Harris, R., Kolahdooz, F., Sharma, R., Zakkar, M., Wagg, A. S., Corriveau, A., Tarrant, M., Irlbacher-Fox, S., Verhaeghe, T., & Sharma, S. (2025). Infant feeding practices and experiences among Indigenous mothers: results from the Maternal and Infant Health Project, Northwest Territories, Canada. Food Science & Nutrition, 13, e70376. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.70376.
  14. Li, J., Davidson, P., Fong, D. Y. T., Li, Y., Lok, K. Y. W., Wong, J. Y. H., Ho, M. M., Choi, E. P. H., Pandian, V., M., Duan, W., Tarrant, M., Lee, J. J., & Lin, C-c., et al. (2025). Individuals’ positive gains from the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study across 30 countries. Journal of Global Health, 15, 04091. DOI: 7189/jogh.15.04091
  15. Li, J., Fong, D. Y. T. Lok, K. Y. W., Wong, J. Y. H., Ho, M., Choi, E. P. H., Pandian, V., Davidson, P. M., Duan, W., Tarrant, M., Lee, J. J., & Lin, C-c, et al. (2025). Country-specific key lifestyle factors and health outcomes for resource allocation in the general population: A network analysis across 29 countries. Journal of Global Health, 15, 04011. DOI: 7189/jogh.15.04011.
  16. Fan, H.S.L., Leung, E.T.Y., Lau, K.W., Wong, J.Y.H., Choi, E.P.H., Lam. C., Tarrant, M., Ngan., H.Y.S., Ip. P, Lin., C.C., Lok, K.Y.W. (2025). A mobile app for promoting breastfeeding-friendly communities. Design and development study. JMIR Formative Research, 9, e64191. DOI:2196/64191.
  17. Lok, K. Y. W., Teng, J. L. L., Fong, J. Y. H., Goh, J., Fan, H. S. L., Ma, Y., Li, T. T., Lau, S. K. P., Chau, P. P. H., El-Nezami, H., Ip, P., Tarrant, M., Tun, H. M., & Woo, P. C. Y. (2025). Influence of feeding practices on intestinal microbiota composition in healthy Chinese infants: A prospective cohort study. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 39(1), 14-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedhc.2024.06.015
  18. Li, J., Pandian, V., Fong, D. Y. T. Lok, K. Y. W., Wong, J. Y. H., Ho, M. M., Choi, E. P. H., Davidson, P. M., Duan, W., Tarrant, M., Lee, J. J., & Lin, et al. (2024). Fear in general populations: A cross-sectional study on perceived fear of common diseases, COVID-19, life events, and environmental threats in 30 countries. Journal of Global Health, 14:05019. DOI: 7189/jogh.14.05019.
  19. Andres, E. B., Du, X., Pang, S. S. L., Liang, J. N., Ye, J., Lee, M. H., Tarrant, M., Yung, S. F., Johnston, J. M., Lok, K. Y. W., & Quan, J. (2024). Extended paid maternity leave associated with improved maternal mental health in Hong Kong. Health Affairs, 43(5), 707-716. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2023.00742.
  20. Li, J., Fong, D. Y. T. Lok, K. Y. W., Wong, J. Y. H., Ho, M. M., Choi, E. P. H., Pandian, V., Davidson, P. M., Duan, W., Tarrant, M., Lee, J. J., & Lin, C-c, et al. (2024). Key lifestyles and health outcomes across 16 prevalent chronic diseases: A network analysis of an international observational study. Journal of Global Health, 14:04068. DOI: 10.7189/jogh-14-04068.
  21. Li, J., Fong, D. Y. T. Lok, K. Y. W., Wong, J. Y. H., Ho, M. M., Choi, E. P. H., Pandian, V., Davidson, P. M., Duan, W., Tarrant, M., Lee, J. J., & Lin, C-c, et al. (2023). Key lifestyles and interim health outcomes for effective interventions in general populations: A network analysis of a large international observational study. Journal of Global Health, 13:04125. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7189/jogh.13.04125.
  22. Fan, H. S. L., Fong, D. Y. T., Lok, K. Y. W., & Tarrant, M. (2023). Experiences of expressed human milk feeding: A qualitative study. Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, 38, 100903. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.srhc.2023.100903.
  23. Li, J., Fong, D. Y. T. Lok, K. Y. W., Wong, J. Y. H., Ho, M. M., Choi, E. P. H., Pandian, V., Davidson, P. M., Duan, W., Tarrant, M., Lee, J. J., & Lin, C-c, & Care group. (2023). Global impacts of COVID-19 on lifestyles and health and preparation preferences: An international survey of 30 countries. Journal of Global Health, 13:06031. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7189/jogh.13.06031.Fan, S. L. H., Fong, D. Y. T., Lok, K. Y. W., & Tarrant, M. (2023). A qualitative exploration of the reasons for expressed human milk feeding as informed by self-efficacy theory applied to breastfeeding. Journal of Human Lactation, 39 (1), 146-156. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/08903344221084629.

 

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