Brassolotto, Julia

Brassolotto, Julia
Associate Dean/Assistant Professor

Health Sci - Public Health Program

Phone
(403) 332-4059
Email
julia.brassolotto@uleth.ca

About Me

Dr. Julia Brassolotto (she/her) is the Associate Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and an Associate Professor in the Public Health program. As Associate Dean, her portfolio includes Graduate Studies, Communications, and External Relations for the faculty.


Dr. Brassolotto is a social scientist and a qualitative researcher. Her interdisciplinary program of research focuses on health services, policy, and ethics. Specifically, her research looks at care for older adults, with a focus on continuing care, community, and end-of-life contexts. Her two primary areas of ongoing interest include sexual expression in continuing care homes and medical assistance in dying (MAID). 

Previous Research

For more information about Dr. Brassolotto’s work on sexual expression in continuing care homes, check out: www.sexualexpressionincare.com.

For more information about Dr. Brassolotto’s work on medical assistance in dying, check out: www.maidinsights.com.


Publications

  • Manduca-Barone, A., Brassolotto, J., & Waring, D. (2026). Reconceptualizing “vulnerability” in Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada. Canadian Journal of Bioethics.  
  • Brassolotto, J. (2025). “Ah, ah, ah, you’ve got to stop that!”: A Foucauldian analysis of disciplinary power and resident sexual expression in Alberta’s continuing care homes. Sexuality Research and Social Policy.
  • Caspar, S., Douziech, A., & Brassolotto, J. (2024). The role of therapeutic recreation in long-term care culture change: A comparative case study from Alberta, Canada. Leisure. 
  • Sedgwick, M., Brassolotto, J., & Manduca-Barone, A. (2024). Rural healthcare professionals’ participation in Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD): beyond a binary decision. BMC Palliative Care. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-024-01440-4
  • Brassolotto, J. & Banerjee, A. (2023). Age-Friendly Communities: Are they also “friendly” for death, dying, grief, and bereavement? Canadian Journal on Aging. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0714980823000624
  • Brassolotto, J., Manduca-Barone, A., & Sedgwick, M. (2023). Placing MAiD: A qualitative study of Medical Assistance in Dying in rural Alberta. Health and Place. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2023.103073
  • Brassolotto, J., Manduca-Barone, A., & Zurbrigg, P. (2022). Medical Assistance in Dying: A review of related Canadian news media texts. Journal of Medical Humanities. DOI: 10.1007/s10912-022-09764-z
  • Manduca-Barone, A., Brassolotto, J., & Waring, D. (2022). Medical assistance in dying in rural communities: A review of Canadian policies and guidelines. Journal of Rural Studies. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2022.09.011
  • Brassolotto, J., Haney, C.A., Caspar, S., & Spenceley, S. (2021). Examining dual roles in Alberta’s rural long-term care homes: A qualitative study. Rural and Remote Health. Vol 21 (1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.22605/RRH6231 
  • Caspar, S., Brassolotto, J., & Cook, H. (2020). Consistent assignment in long-term care homes: Avoiding the pitfalls to capitalise on the promises. International Journal of Older People Nursing. DOI: 10.1111/opn.12345
  • Brassolotto, J., Caspar, S, Spenceley, S and Haney, C-A. (2020). Long-Term Care in Rural Alberta: Exploring Autonomy and Capacity for Action. Journal of Long-Term Care, (2020), pp. 80–90. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31389/jltc.31
  • Brassolotto, J., Howard, L., & Manduca-Barone, A. (2020). “If you do not find the world tasty and sexy, you are out of touch with the most important things in life”: Resident and family member perspectives on sexual expression in Alberta’s continuing care homes. The Journal of Aging Studies.
  • Brassolotto, J., Howard, L., & Manduca-Barone, A. (2020). Sexual expression in Alberta’s continuing care homes: Capacity, consent, and co-decision-making. Canadian Journal of Aging DOI: 10.1017/S0714980819000813. 

Degrees

  • PhD (Health Policy and Equity), York University
  • MA (Philosophy), York University
  • BA (Philosophy/Cultural Studies), McMaster University

Research Interests

Health services and policy research, aging, end-of-life, bioethics, health equity, care work

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