Dr. Gladys Honein
Primary Health Care Systems Strengthening & Community Health
Dr. Honein-AbouHaidar's work is grounded in advancing people-centered, equitable, and inclusive approaches to healthcare, with a strong focus on strengthening primary health care (PHC) systems.
A mixed-methods researcher in community and public health, Dr. Honein-AbouHaidar generates evidence to inform policy, improve healthcare access, and enhance service quality. Her research spans key areas including PHC system strengthening, colorectal cancer screening, and the health of refugee and displaced populations. She is particularly engaged in developing two different models to reach out to vulnerable population: home-based primary health care and community health workers (Lebanurse)
Dr. Honein-AbouHaidar's work is deeply collaborative and embedded within national and international health agendas. She partners closely with the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, the Order of Nurses in Lebanon, as well as global organizations such as the World Health Organization and UNICEF, contributing to policy development and implementation.
In her role as community health leader within the SAIL cluster, she manages the Chouf Coastal Area Primary Health Care Center, using it as a platform for research, innovation, and grant development aimed at strengthening PHC services. She is also a qualitative research consultant with the Clinical Research Institute and the Global Health Institute at AUB, supporting interdisciplinary research initiatives.
Her broader expertise includes qualitative and mixed-methods research, guideline development, and quality improvement. Through her work, Dr. Honein-AbouHaidar continues to bridge research, practice, and policy to drive meaningful and sustainable improvements in healthcare systems in Lebanon and beyond.
For more information, please visit Gladys Honein-AbouHaidar Research page
Dr. Souha Fares
Nursing Workforce Sustainability and Resilience
in Crisis Settings
Dr. Souha Fares's research has long focused on understanding the nursing workforce in Lebanon, particularly issues related to workforce sustainability, working conditions, occupational health, and professional development. As a co-investigator and lead statistician on previous national studies (PI: Dr. Nuhad Dumit), she examined Registered Nurses' (N = 3632) and Nurse Managers' (N = 1115) experiences with Continuous Nursing Education, identifying key priorities and barriers. Findings from this work directly informed national policy, contributing to the development of legislation on continuous nursing education and the National capacity building program for nurses with the Ministry of Public Health. In addition, through another large national occupational health study involving more than 3,000 nurses across six Lebanese governorates (PI: Dr. Lina Younan), Dr. Fares examined the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and chronic occupational fatigue, highlighting the need for organizational-level interventions to support nurses' health and well-being.
Building on this body of work, Dr. Fares is currently leading a national study examining the impact of the 2024 Lebanese War on the nursing workforce. This study focuses on nurses' emotional and physical well-being, professional outlook, retention intentions, and the coping and resilience factors that enable nurses to continue practicing during crisis. By generating timely, evidence-based insights, this research aims to inform policies and interventions that strengthen nurse retention, resilience, and safe working conditions in conflict-affected healthcare systems. (Status: Data collection in progress. Funder: AUB Office of Research. Co-Investigators: Dr Nuhad Dumit, Dr Lina Younan, Dr Carine Sakr).
For more information, please visit Souha Fares Research page