Links and Information

Provincial & National Professional Associations of Psychology:
Legal governing body for Psychology in Ontario
Provincial and national associations for cardiac rehabilitation:
  • Cardiac Rehabilitation Network of Ontario: www.crno.ca
  • Canadian Association of Cardiopulmonary Prevention & Rehabilitation: www.cacpr.ca
Resources on heart disease, stroke and healthy living:

I was the editor and lead author of the Psychology chapter of the current Canadian national guidelines for cardiac rehabilitation: Behavioural and Psychosocial Issues in Cardiovascular Disease (full citation below in Representative Publications). To obtain this professional and academic resource please go to: cacpr.ca/Guidelines.

Representative Publications

O’Connell ME, Suskin N and Prior PL (2021). Measuring true change in individual patients: reliable change indices of cardiac rehabilitation outcomes, and implications for quality indicators. Can J Cardiology – Open; accepted. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjco.2021.05.006.

Grace SL, Prior PL, Mamataz T, Hartley T, Oh P, Suskin N (2021). Cardiac rehabilitation component attendance, and impact of intervening clinical events, as well as disease severity and risk factor burden. J Cardiopulm Rehab Prev. 41 (1), 40-45. DOI: 10.1007/HCR.0000000000000571

Zhang KM, Prior PL, Swartzman LC, Suskin N, Unsworth KL & Minda JP. Can Causal Explanations about Endothelial Pathophysiology Benefit Patient Education? A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial in Cardiac Rehabilitation. Patient Education and Counseling, 102 (9); 1672-1679. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2019.04.019. Epub 2019 Apr 18.

Prior PL & Suskin N (2018). Exercise for stroke prevention. Stroke and Vascular Neurology 2018;3: e000155. doi:10.1136/svn-2018-000155.

Prior PL, Hachinski V, Chan R, Unsworth K, Mytka S, Harnadek M, O’Callaghan C & Suskin N (2017). Comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation for secondary prevention after transient ischemic attack or mild stroke. Psychological profile and outcomes. Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, 37 (6), 428-436. doi: 10.1097/HCR.0000000000000274.

Prior PL, Hachinski V, Unsworth K, Chan R, Mytka S, O’Callaghan C, Suskin N. (2011). Comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation for secondary prevention after TIA or mild stroke. I: feasibility and risk factors. Stroke, 42, 3207-3213; originally published online 22 Sept 2011; doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.111.620187.

Prior P, Xue Y, Ali A, Suskin N & Skanes A (2017). Psychological factors associated with self-reported symptom burden, quality of life and health care usage among paroxysmal atrial fibrillation patients. Canadian Journal of Cardiology, 33 (10, supp), abstract 100, p. S58-59.

Prior PL, Xue Y, Unsworth KL, & Suskin NG (2013).  Atrial dysrhythmia in comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation: prevalence, characteristics, program completion and outcomes.  Canadian Journal of Cardiology, 29 (10; supp), abstract 174, p. S157.

Mackay-Lyons, M, Bilnger S, Enj J, Dromerick A, Giacomantonio N, Hafer-Macko C, Macko R, Nguyen E, Prior P, Reid R, Suskin N, Ada T, Thornton M, Unsworth K (2019). Aerobic Exercise Recommendations to Optimize Best Practices In Care after Stroke: AEROBICS 2019 Update. Clinical Practice Guideline. Physical Therapy, 100(1), 149-156. DOI: 10.1093/ptj/pzz153

Prior PL, Reitav J, Francis J & Stone JA. Behavioural and psychosocial issues in cardiovascular disease. Ch. 6 of Canadian Guidelines for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Cardiac Rehabilitation – Translating Knowledge into Action, 3rd edition. JA Stone, (Editor-in-Chief), HM Arthur & N Suskin (Associate Editors). Winnipeg: Canadian Association of Cardiac Rehabilitation, 2009, pp 107 – 202.