SCHOLARLY WORKS- Research publications (peer-reviewed)

Published peer-reviewed Journal Articles

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  •              Ojembe, B.U., Kalu, M., Oyinlola, O., Eugene, E. & Aninma, A. (2025). Loneliness, Family Devotion, Care Provision, and Gendered Façades among Black Older Adults in Canada: A Narrative Qualitative Study. Research on Aging. Vol 0(0), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1177/01640275251357848
  • Ojembe, B. U. (2025). Mapping the Language of Social Isolation and Loneliness Among Racialized Older Adults in Canada: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Qualitative Studies. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1080/01634372.2025.2509837
  •              Ojembe, B. U. (2025). (Un)availability of Social Provisions and the Framing of Loneliness by Black Older Adults in Canada: A Qualitative Narrative Study. Journal of Black Psychology, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00957984251319746
  •             Egbumike, C. J., Ojembe, B., Ezulike, C. J., Oyinola, O., Nwachukwu, E., & Kalu, M. E. (2025). Unmet Social Needs of Older Adults with Mobility Limitations Following Inpatient Rehabilitation Discharge in Nigeria: A Qualitative Narrative Inquiry Study. Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001), 10.1519/JPT.0000000000000419. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1519/JPT.0000000000000419
  •             Akinrolie O, Iwuagwu AO, KaluME, Rayner D, OyinlolaO, … Ojembe, B.U., et al., (2024). “Longitudinal Studies of Aging in Sub-Saharan Africa: Review, limitations, and recommendations in preparation of projected aging population”. Innovation on Aging, 8(4), 1-12 https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igae002
  •             Ojembe, B., Kapiriri, L., Griffin, M., & Schormans, A. (2023). “You’re Not Understood, and You’re Isolated”: A Narrative Account of Loneliness by Black Older Adults in Ontario, Canada. Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue Canadienne Du Vieillissement, 43(2), 203-216. doi:10.1017/S0714980823000594
  •             Ojembe, B. U., Kapiriri, L., Griffin, M., & Fudge Schormans, A. (2023). Narrative analysis of exclusion from social participation and loneliness among Black older adults in Ontario, Canada. Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 33(6), 357–373. https://doi.org/10.1080/15313204.2023.2211784
  •             Ojembe, B.U., Kalu, M.E., Ezulike, C.D., Iwuagwu, A.O., Ekoh, C.P., Oyinlola, O., Osifeso, T., Makanjuola, J., Kapiriri, L. (2022). Understanding Social and Emotional Loneliness among Black Older Adults: A Scoping Review. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 41(12), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1177/07334648221118357   
  •             Kalu, M. E., Okeke, C., Nwachukwu, E, Okoh, A., Akinrolie, O., Ezulike, C., Abandom, H., Onyeso, O., Egbumike, J., Olatunji., F., Ugwuodo, E., Ojembe, B. U., … (2022). Methodology and reporting quality of 544 studies related to ageing: a continued discussion in settling priorities for ageing research in Africa. Journal of Global Health Economics and Policy, 2022010, https://doi.org/10.52872/001c.36188 
  •             Ojembe, B. U., Kalu, M. E., Ezulike, C. D., John, M. O., Oyinlola, O., Osifeso, T. A., … & Kapiriri, L. (2021). Exploration of Loneliness Among Black Older Adults. Social Science Protocols, 4, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.7565/ssp.v4.5748
  •             Kalu, M. E., Ojembe, B. U., Akinrolie, O., Okoh, A. C., Adandom, I. I., Nwankwo, H. C., … & Obi, P. C. (2021). Setting priorities for ageing research in Africa: A systematic mapping review of 512 studies from sub-Saharan Africa. Journal of Global Health, 11:15002. https://doi.org/10.7189/jogh.11.15002
  •             Ojembe, B.U. & Kalu, M.E. (2019). ‘Television, Radio and Telephone: Tools for reducing loneliness among older adults in Nigeria. Journal of Gerontechnology, 18 (1), pp. 36-46. https://doi.org/10.4017/gt.2019.18.1.004.00  
  •             Ojembe, B.U. & Kalu, M.E. (2018). Describing reasons for loneliness among older people in Nigeria. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 61(6), 640-658.   https://doi.org/10.1080/01634372.2018.1487495   
  •             Grenier, A., Griffin, M., Andrews, G., Wilton, R., Burke, E., Ojembe, B., Feldman, B., Papaioannou, A. (2019). Meanings and Feelings of (Im)mobility in Later Life: Case Study Insights from a ‘New Mobilities’ Perspective. Journal of Aging Studies, 51:100819. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S089040651930324X
  •             Nwankwo H, Akinrolie O, Adandom I, Obi CP, Ojembe B.U. & Kalu ME (2019). The clinical experience of Nigerian physiotherapists one managing environmental and socio-economic determinants of mobility for older adults. Journal of Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 1-13
  • https://doi.org/10.1080/09593985.2019.1700579

Referred Chapters in Books and Dissertation

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  •              Grenier, Amanda and Ojembe, Blessing (2020). Culture, Mental Health, and Older People. In R. Moodley and E. Lee. The Routledge International Handbook of Race, Culture and Mental Health. Routledge: New York.
  •             Ojembe, Blessing, Dube, Shayla and Yeh, Jarmin (In print). Culturally Responsive Interventions for Combating Loneliness, Social Isolation, and Exclusion Among Older Immigrants from Racially Marginalized Communities. In F. Pino and I. Ferrer. “Racialized Older Im/migrants in Canada: Critical and Transnational Approaches.” Canadian Scholars Press.   

Articles submitted for Peer-review Publication

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  •           Francis Kolawole; Chukwuebuka Onyekere; Tyler Sun; Soroush Shirazi; Mirella Veras; Blessing Ojembe; Michael E Kalu (Under review). The Application of Artificial Intelligence in Qualitative Data Analysis – A Scoping Review Protocol. Submitted to PLOS ONE.
  •          Kapirir, L., Ojembe, B., Mudavanhu, S., Boamah, S., Griffin, M., (Under review) A Political Economy Analysis of the Loneliness and Social Isolation Experiences of Black Older Adults residing in Hamilton, Ontario. Submitted to the Canadian Journal on Aging.
  •          Onyeso, O. K., Victor, J., Onyeso, K. M., Ojembe, B., Alumona, C. J., Odole, A. C., Doan, J., & Awosoga, O. A. (Under review). Life-course sociodemographic determinants of mobility decline: a comparative qualitative study of Canadian and Nigerian older adults’ perspectives. Submitted to BMC Geriatrics.
  •          Ojembe, B.U., Kalu, M., Oyinlola, O., Eugene, E. & Aninma, A. (Under review). Loneliness, Family Devotion, Care Provision, and Gendered Façades among Black Older Adults in Canada: A Narrative Qualitative Study. Submitted to Research on Aging.
  •          Ojembe, B. U (Under review). Mapping the Language of Loneliness and social Isolation among racialized older adults in Canada: A critical discourse analysis of qualitative studies. Submitted to the Journal of Gerontological Social Work.

Invited paper

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  •             Taylor, H.O., Nguyen, A.W., Blessing, O., & Tsuchiya, K. (Under Review). Social Isolation and Loneliness among Racial/Ethnic Minoritized Older Adults: A Literature Review. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine.

Abstracts/poster presentation in referred conference proceedings

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  •             Ojembe, B.U. (2025). (Un)availability of Social Provisions and the Framing of Loneliness by Black Older Adults in Canada. Oral Presentation at Our Future is Aging Conference, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Date: June 2 – 4th 2025.
  •             Kapiriri, L., Ojembe, B., Mudhavanhu, S. (2024). Interventions to address Loneliness and Social Isolation among Older Black Adults: A Political Economy Analysis. Oral presentation at Canadian Association of Gerontology, 53rd Annual Conference, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Conference Date: 24th – 27th October 2024.        
  •             Ojembe, B. U. (2024). Narrative Analysis of Exclusion from Social Participation and Loneliness among Black Older Adults in Ontario, Canada. Oral presentation at Canadian Association of Gerontology, 53rd Annual Conference, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Conference Date: 24th – 27th October 2024.
  •             Ojembe, B. U., Kalu, M.E.(2024). Setting Priorities for Ageing Research In Africa: A Systematic Mapping Review Of 512 Studies From Sub-Saharan Africa. Symposium presentation at Canadian Association of Gerontology, 53rd Annual Conference, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Conference Date: 24th – 27th October 2024.
  •             Kumapayi P, Ojembe B, Grenier A, Chan E, Ughra R, Ugwu B, Kalu M. When, How and Challenges in Identifying Homebound Older People – A Scoping Review. A poster presentation at the53rd Annual Scientific and Educational Meetings of the Canadian Association of Gerontology, held at Edmonton Alberta Canada. Oct 24-26, 2024
  •             Grenier, A., Imahori, D., Alambo, O., Ojembe, B. (2023). Thinking about Inclusion and Meaningful Participation in Research on Brain Aging. A poster presentation to the Rotman Research Conference, Toronto, Canada. Date: March 2023.
  •             Ojembe, B. U., Kapiriri, L., Griffin, M., & Fudge Schormans Ann, (2022). Loneliness across the three-dimensional spaces: A narrative experience of Black older adults living in Ontario. Oral presentation at Canadian Association of Gerontology, 51st Annual Conference, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada Conference Date: 20th – 23th October 2022.
  •             Ojembe, B.U., Kalu, M.E., Ezulike, C.D., Iwuagwu, A.O., Ekoh, C.P., Oyinlola, O., Osifeso, T., Makanjuola, J., Kapiriri, L. (2022). Understanding Social and Emotional Loneliness among Black Older Adults: A Scoping Review. Poster presentation at Canadian Association of Gerontology, 51st Annual Conference, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada Conference Date: 20th – 23th October 2022.
  •             Ojembe, B.U. (2021). Exploring loneliness and exclusion: A narrative experience of Black older adults living in Ontario Canada. A 3-Minutes Thesis Poster presentation at the McMaster Institute for Research on Aging Trainee Conference, Hamilton Ontario. Date: December 10th 2021.
  •             Anieto EM, Okoh A, Akinrolie O, Ojembe B, Nwachukwu E, Ibekaku M, Olisa E, Nwankwo H, Ajulo M, Adandom I, Omeje C, Ekezie U, Ezulike C, Emofe D, Obi P, Kalu ME. (2021). Setting priorities for ageing research in Africa: A systematic mapping review of 457 literature from sub-Saharan Africa. World Confederation for Physical Therapy Congress (WCPT), Online, May 9-11, 2021.
  •             Ojembe, B.U., Kalu M.E., and Grenier, A., (2019). Television, Radio and Telephone: Tools for reducing loneliness among older adults in Nigeria. Poster Presentation at Canadian Association of Gerontology, 48th Annual Conference, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada Conference Date: 24th – 26th October 2019.
  •             Grenier, A., Kobayashi, K., Burke, E., and Ojembe, B. (2019). Knowledge Mobilization in Research on Aging and Technology: An Action-Oriented Study. Poster Presentation at Canadian Association of Gerontology, 48th Annual Conference, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada Conference Date: 24th – 26th October 2019.
  •             Ojembe, B.U., Kalu, M.E. & Grenier, A. (2019). Describing reasons for loneliness among older people in Nigeria. Poster presentation at TrentAging 2019, “Taking back Aging: Power, Critique and Imagination”, Trent University, Peterborough Ontario, Canada, 28th – 31st May 2019. 
  •             Kalu M.E., Emoefe D., Obi P., Ojembe B., Jumbo S. & Dal Bello Hass, V. (2018). Hospital-to-home discharge process of older adults with hip fractures back to their homes: Healthcare provider and informal caregiver experiences in Nigeria. Canadian Association of Gerontology, 47th Annual Conference, Vancouver, Canada Conference, Date: 18th – 20th October 2018
  •             Ojembe, B.U., Echeme A., Stephen P., & Kalu M.E. (2018). Falls Prevention among Older adults: Social Workers Role. Canadian Association of Gerontology, 47th Annual Conference, Vancouver, Canada Conference Date: 18th – 20th October 2018.
  • Ojembe B.U., Langat G.C. and Kalu M.E. (2017). ‘Loneliness and social isolation among older people in Nigeria: The role of technology’- presented at the Emerging Researchers in Ageing, 46th Annual Conference of British Society of Gerontology, Swansea University, Wales, United Kingdom, 5-7th July 2017.         
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