Brenda Beagan

Department

Cross appointed to Sociology and Social Anthropology, Nursing and Health Promotion

Education

• BA, Dalhousie University
• MA, Dalhousie University
• PhD, University of British Columbia
• PDF, University of British Columbia

Research interests

Brenda Beagan’s research focuses on the ways social inequities shape and are shaped by occupational engagement and meaning. In other words, how what we do (and don’t do) constructs gender, ethnicity, class, culture etc, even as what we do and don’t do are shaped by sexism, racism, ethnocentrism, ableism, heterosexism, gender binarism, classism, etc. She also studies the effects of social inequities on professional education and practice.

Selected publications

• Pride TM, Beagan BL, MacLeod A, Sibbald K. Educational experiences of health professionals from marginalized groups: “It definitely takes more work.” Diaspora, Indigenous, and Minority Education, 2024. 18(1), 51-67. doi: 10.1080/15595692.2022.2149485
• Bizzeth SR, Beagan BL. “Ah, it’s best not to mention that here”: Experiences of LGBTQ+ health professionals in (heteronormative) workplaces in Canada. Frontiers in Sociology, 2023; 8: 1-11. doi: 10.3389/fsoc.2023.1138628
• Beagan BL, Bizzeth SR, Pride TM, Sibbald KR. (invited editorial) Racism in occupational therapy: “It’s part of who we are…” British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 2023; 86(3): 171-175. doi: 10.1177/03080226231153345
• Beagan BL, Sibbald KR, Bizzeth SR, Pride TM. Factors influencing LGBTQ+ disclosure decision-making by Canadian health professionals: A qualitative study. [Open Access] PLOS One, 2023; 18(2): e0280558. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0280558
• Beagan BL, Bizzeth SR, Etowa JB. Interpersonal, institutional and structural racism in Canadian nursing: A culture of silence. [Open Access] Canadian Journal of Nursing Research, 2023; 55(2): 195-205. doi: 10.1177/08445621221110140
• Beagan BL, Bizzeth SR, Sibbald KR, Etowa JB. Epistemic racism in the health professions: A qualitative study with Black women in Canada. [Open Access] Health: An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health, Illness and Medicine, 2022. doi: 10.1177/13634593221141605
• Beagan BL, Sibbald KR, Pride TM, Bizzeth SR. Professional misfits: “You’re having to perform… all week long.” [Open access] OJOT: The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy, 2022; 10(4), 1-14. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/ojot/vol10/iss4/3/ doi: 10.15453/2168-6408.1933
• Beagan BL, Sibbald KR, Pride TM, Bizzeth SR. Client-centered practice when professional and social power are uncoupled: The experiences of therapists from marginalized groups. [Open Access] OJOT: The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy, 2022; 10(4), 1-14. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/ojot/vol10/iss4/2/ doi: 10.15453/2168-6408.1955
• Beagan BL, Bizzeth S, Pride T, Sibbald K. LGBTQ+ identity concealment and disclosure within the (heteronormative) health professions: “Do I? Do I not? And what are the potential consequences?” [Open Access] SSM – Qualitative Research in Health, 2022; 2, 100114. doi: 10.1016/j.ssmqr.2022.100114
• Beagan BL, MacLeod A, Owen M, Pride T, Sibbald KR. Lower-class origins in Canadian health and social service professions: “A different level of understanding.” Social Science & Medicine, 2022, 115233. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115233
• Sibbald KR, Beagan BL. Disabled healthcare professionals’ experiences of altruism: Identity, professionalism, competence, and disclosure. [Open Access] Disability & Society. Early online. doi:10.1080/09687599.2022.2061333
• Beagan BL, Sibbald KR, Pride TM, Bizzeth SR. Experiences of epistemic racism among occupational therapists. [Open Access] Cadernos Brasileiros de Terapia Ocupacional/Brazilian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 2022; 30, e3211. doi:10.1590/2526-8910.ctoAO24533211
• Beagan BL, Sibbald KR, Bizzeth SR, Pride TM. Systemic racism in Canadian occupational therapy: A qualitative study with therapists. [Open Access] Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy. 2022; 89(1): 51-61. doi: 10.1177/00084174211066676
• Pooley EA, Beagan BL. The concept of oppression and occupational therapy:  A critical interpretive synthesis. [Open Access] Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy. 2021; 88(4): 407-417. doi: 10.1177/00084174211051168
• Beagan BL. Commentary on racism in occupational science. [Open Access] Invited. Journal of Occupational Science. 2021; 28(3): 410-414. doi: 10.1080/14427591.2020.1833682
• Beagan BL, Mohamed T, Brooks K, Waterfield B, Weinberg M. Microaggressions experienced by LGBTQ academics in Canada: “Just not fitting in… it does take a toll”. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education. 2021; 34(3): 197-212. doi: 10.1080/09518398.2020.1735556

Teaching

• OCCU 6000/6600/6006 Applied Research
  
• OCCU 5007 Research Approaches for Occupational Therapists
• OCCU 6002 Social Influences on Occupation
• OCCU 6512 Social Inequities in Everyday Life

Memberships

• Masters supervisory committee member – 27 (2 in progress)
• Masters supervisor – 23 (0 in progress)
• Doctoral supervisory committee member – 15 (3 in progress)
• Doctoral supervisor – 10 (4 in progress)
  
• Postdoctoral supervisor – 5

Selected awards and honours

• School of Occupational Therapy Faculty Recognition Award, classes of 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020
  
• Tier II Canada Research Chair, Women & Health 2007-2012