General older adults
Ways to support older adults’ quality of life, healthy aging, social wellbeing, and a stronger sense of community.
OAQNER
Older Adults’ Quality of Life & Nursing Education Research
Equity Deserving Populations, Healthy Aging, Community Connection, and Nursing Education.
Dr. Vivian Afrah Puplampu
Associate Professor, Faculty of Nursing, University of Regina
About OAQNER
Older Adults’ Quality of Life & Nursing Education Research.
OAQNER is a program of research led by Dr. Vivian Puplampu. A fuller description of the research program, its purpose, and its community focus will be added here when finalized.
Team members
Research team member details are coming soon.
Acknowledgements
Dr. Puplampu acknowledges the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Partnership Development Grant for supporting the website development.
She also acknowledges the research teams, partner organizations, community members, students, and faculty members who collaborate across OAQNER projects. A detailed research-team list will be added as it is finalized.
Dr. Vivian Afrah Puplampu — Curriculum Vitae
The CV gives more detail for visitors who want Dr. Puplampu’s full academic background.
Research themes
OAQNER centers aging, equity deserving populations, social connection, belongingness, and nursing education.
OAQNER is a program of research that centers on the general older adult population, marginalized populations including Black and racialized older adults, Black nursing students and faculty members, social connection, and belongingness in Canada and beyond.
Black older adults
Programs and partnerships that help Black older adults feel connected, supported, and included.
Racialized immigrant and refugee older adults
Research on how housing, community, and access to support affect older immigrants and refugees.
Nursing education
Teaching, mentorship, digital health, and support for fair and welcoming nursing education.
Research program
Selected funded and ongoing projects
Dr. Puplampu works with academic research teams, partner organizations, community members, students, and faculty members. Her projects focus on older adults, Black and other racialized populations, immigrants and refugee communities, Black nursing students and faculty members. A central goal in her research is improving quality of life for older adults, Black nursing students and faculty members, and other populations in academia.
Projects completed
- The Impact of Cohousing Community on Older Adults’ Quality of Life.
- Older Adults’ Living Environments: Do they Promote Healthy Aging during Pandemic.
- Black faculty members experiences in academia in Canada.
- Black older adults’ social capital during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Social Hub Club for Older Adults of People of African Descents and Friends.
Ongoing projects
- Older adults experience of vulnerability and inequality in Recovering from the pandemic.
- The impacts of the environment on racialized immigrant older adults’ social connectedness in Canada.
Projects collaborated on
- Nursing Students’ Experiences of Bullying During Clinical Practice.
- Revealing Black undergraduate nursing students’ experiences in Saskatchewan.
- COVID-19 & Cohousing Partnership Engage Study: COPES.
- Recruitment and Retention of Black Students in Nursing Programs in Saskatchewan.
Awarded grants
- SSHRC Partnership Development Grant — website development and partnership research on housing, community, and social connectedness.
- Government of Canada New Horizons for Seniors Program — Social Hub Club for Older Adults of People of African Descents and Friends.
- SSHRC Insight Grant — research on Black undergraduate nursing students’ experiences in Saskatchewan.
- SSHRC Partnership Engagement Grant — Strengthening the Social Capital of Older Black Adults in Canada in the Era of COVID-19.
- University of Regina research funding — Older Adults’ Experience of Vulnerability and Inequality in Recovering from the Pandemic.
Resources
Videos and publications
These resources share Dr. Puplampu’s work with older adults, communities, social connection, health, and nursing education.
Videos
One video highlights the Social Hub Club for Older Adults of African Descents and their Friends. The other focuses on immigrant and refugee older adults in Canada.
Social Hub club for Older Adults of African Descents and their Friends
Racialized Immigrant and Refugee Older Adults in Canada
Selected publications and contributions
This list includes more of Dr. Puplampu’s publications on aging, social connection, health, and nursing education.
- Luhanga, F.L., Essien, D., Matebekwane, K. A., Maposa, S., Puplampu, V., Abudu, F. O., Ansah, A., Garvey, C., Jefferies, K., & Salami, O. (2026). The impact of anti-Black racism on Black undergraduate nursing students in Canada. Nursing Inquiry, 33, e70110.
- Puplampu, V.A., Ho, A.H.Y., Kazi, M., Baffour-Awuah, A., Dalidowicz, M., Bushi, J., Salma, J., Osuji, J., Moasun, F.Y., Chipanshi, M., Luhanga, F., Falihi, A., Nsaliwa, C., Pierson, J., Mambu, L.M., & Salami, B.A. (2026). Scoping review on the impact of the environment on racialized immigrant older adults’ social connectedness and sense of belonging. Journal of Aging Research.
- Anim-Larbi, M., Puplampu, V., Maposa, S., & Mahani, A. (2025). A scoping review protocol on childhood immunization reminder strategies available to parents in Canada and the United States of America. PLoS One, 20(5), 1–11.
- Puplampu, V. A., Pierson, J., Oba, F., Weeks, L., Gawdun, J., & White, J. (2024). Older Black adults’ social capital during COVID-19 and its impact on mental wellbeing. Perspectives Journal, 45(1).
- Puplampu, V.A., Luhanga, F.L., & Baffour-Awuah, A. (2023). The experience of Black faculty members in academia. Canadian Ethnic Studies, 55(2), 51–71.
- Puplampu, V. A., Silversides, H. P., & Phillips, K. (2023). A scoping review on older adults from Africa social connectedness experiences in North America. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 38(2), 115–135.
- Luhanga, F.L., Maposa, S., Puplampu, V. A., & Abudu, E. (2023). Challenges for Black undergraduate nursing students in a Western Canadian province. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research, 55(4), 457–471.
- Luhanga, F.L., Maposa, S., Puplampu, V. A., Abudu, E., & Chigbogu, I. (2023). Experiences of Black nursing students in a western Canadian province. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, 20(1).
- Bigonnesse, C., Weeks, L., Puplampu, V., Paris, M., Dupuis-Blanchard, S., McInnis-Perry, G., & Hache-Chiasson, A. (2022). Influence of cohousing communities on social determinants of health in later life: A scoping review protocol. JBI Evidence Synthesis.
- Pierson, J., Puplampu, V. A., & White, J. (2022). The history of Black people in Canada and the intersection of policies on their settlement. Canadian Ethnic Studies, 54(2), 47–65.
- Puplampu, V.A., Baffour-Awuah, A., Benson, P.M., & Adams, L. (2022). The impact of older adults’ living environment on their healthy aging in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Perspective, 43(1), 17–27.
- Weeks, L.E., Bigonnesse, C., Rupasinghe, V., Hache-Chiasson, A., Dupuis-Blanchard, S., Harman, K., McInnis-Perry, G., Paris, M., Puplampu, V.A., & Critchlow, M. (2022). Experiences of older adults living in Canadian cohousing communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Aging and Environment.
- Baliko, K., & Puplampu, V. A. (2021). Aging in the age of COVID. Discourse Research Magazine.
- Matthews, E., Puplampu, V. A., & Gelech, J. (2021). Tactics and strategies of adaptation among parents caring for children with developmental disabilities. Global Qualitative Nursing Research.
- Luhanga, L. F., Puplampu, V. A., Arvidson, S., & Ogunade, A. (2020). Nursing students’ experiences of bullying in clinical practice. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 10(3), 89–97.
- Puplampu, V. A., Peters, S., & Chipanshi, M. (2020). A scoping review on the impact of cohousing on older adults’ quality of life. Perspectives: The Journal of the Gerontological Nursing Association, 41(2), 14–27.
- Puplampu, V.A. (2020). Older adults and their caregivers’ self-management of COPD post COVID-19: A literature review. Australian Journal of Nursing Research.
- Puplampu, V. A., Matthews, E., Puplampu, G., Gross, M., Pathak, S., & Peters, S. (2020). The impact of cohousing on older adults’ quality of life. Canadian Journal on Aging, 39(3), 1–15.
- Puplampu, V. A. (2019). Forming and living in a seniors’ cohousing: The impact on older adults’ healthy aging in place. Journal of Housing for the Elderly, 34(3), 1–18.
- Puplampu, V. A. (2017). Nursing students’ and faculty members’ experiences of comfort during transition to context-based learning. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, 14(1), 1–11.
- Puplampu, V. A., & Ross, C. (2017). Nursing faculty and student transition to a context-based learning curriculum. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 7(7), 54–65.
- Darkwah (now Puplampu), V. A., Yamane, H., Richter, S., Caine, V., Maina, G., et al. (2012). A systematic review on the intersection of homelessness and healthcare in Canada. Journal of Nursing & Care, 1(5), 1–5.
- Darkwah, V. A., Ross, C., Williams, B., & Madill, H. (2011). Undergraduate nursing students’ self-efficacy in patient education in a context-based learning program. Journal of Nursing Education, 50(10), 579–582.
Credentials & mentorship
Academic leadership, older adult nursing, and student support.
PhD, Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta
Master of Nursing, Teaching and Learning, University of Alberta
Certified Gerontological Nurse, Canadian Nurses Association
Associate Professor, Faculty of Nursing, University of Regina
Dr. Puplampu supports graduate and undergraduate students, mentors student researchers, reviews academic work, and contributes to older adult, nursing, and community organizations. She is also a co-founder and board member of the People of African Descent Seniors Association (PADSA) in Saskatchewan.
Contact
Connect with Dr. Vivian Puplampu
Faculty of Nursing, University of Regina — Saskatoon Campus
Disclaimer
Website information and permissions
The information on this website is provided for general informational and educational purposes. It is not intended to be a complete or definitive source on the topics presented.
Please contact Dr. Vivian Puplampu before reproducing, adapting, or using website content, images, or research materials from this site.