Keith Denny

Adjunct Research Professor and Director, Population & Indigenous Health and Classifications & Terminologies, Canadian Institute for Health Information; Head, WHO Collaborating Centre for the WHO Family of International Classifications

Ph.D. (Toronto)
Email Keith Denny

Research Interests and Areas of Expertise

Equity in health systems and health policy
Quantification and performance measurement in health systems
Sociology of diagnosis and disease
Clinical classification systems

Publications

Ballester-Otero, C. L., Tavakkoli, M., Kontio, K., Thelen, J., Joos, O. H., Guevel, C. G., … Denny, K., & Munoz, D. C. Preparing for ICD-11 transition: lessons from case studies in Argentina and Mexico. Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública, 49, e95, 2025.

Garies, S., Pathiraja, D. H., McBrien, K. A., Dickinson, J. A., Crampton, N., Eastwood, C. A., Denny, K. … & Ghali, W. A. Canadian Family Physician Preferences on Updating the Classification System for Health Conditions and Related Issues. Healthcare Policy, 20(4), 2025.

Lyall, K., Roberge, I., Yang, W., Baker, S., & Denny, K. ICD-11 in Canada: Leveraging crosswalks to evaluate adoption, impact and transition strategies. Health Information Management Journal, 18333583251392355, 2025.

Kogan, C. S., Stein, D. J., Garcia-Pacheco, J. A., Rebello, T. J., Montoya, M. I., Robles, R., … Denny, K. & Reed, G. M. COVID-19 vaccine attitudes among mental health professionals in the WHO’s global clinical practice network. PLOS Mental Health, 1(1), e0000018, 2024.

Riley, D., De Prophetis, E., Mahendran, M., Hynes, G., Hart, E., Akinnibosun, R., & Denny, K. Exploring variations in patient safety events across equity-deserving populations. International Journal of Population Data Science, 9(5), 2024.

Kogan, C. S., Garcia-Pacheco, J. A., Rebello, T. J., Montoya, M. I., Robles, R., Khoury, B., … Denny, K. & Reed, G. M. Longitudinal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on stress and occupational Well-Being of mental health professionals: an international study. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 26(10), 747-760, 2023.

De Prophetis, E., Beck, K., Ridgeway, D., Chuang, J., Richard, L., Durbin, A., … & Denny, K. Trends in hospital coding for people experiencing homelessness in Canada, 2015–2020: a descriptive study. Canadian Medical Association Open Access Journal, 11(6), E1188-E1196, 2023.

Montoya, M. I., Kogan, C. S., Rebello, T. J., Sadowska, K., Garcia-Pacheco, J. A., Khoury, B., Denny, K., … & Reed, G. M. An international survey examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on telehealth use among mental health professionals. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 148, 188-196, 2022.

Denny, K. Commentary: From Mixtapes to Playlists–Evolving Options for Capturing Diagnoses in Canadian Physicians’ Data. Healthcare Policy, 18(1), 40, 2022.

Wildgen, A. & Denny, K. “Health equity’s missing substance: (Re)engaging the normative in public health discourse and knowledge-making.” Public Health Ethics (2020).

Khair, S, Quan, H, Eastwood, CA, Doktorchik, C, Zhao, J, Losev, T, Denny, K, Baker, S, Lu, M. “Paving the Way: A Cost and Outcome Evaluation Framework for the Transition from the 10th to the 11th Version of the International Classification of Diseases.” Perspectives in Health Information Management. Winter 2020.

Denny, Keith. “Classifying and counting mental disorders in Canada.” Psynopsis. 41:2, 2019.

Denny K., Hanmer L., Hargreaves J., Jakob R., Linton C., Macpherson B. Madden R., ten Nepel H. World Health Organization Family of International Classifications. Geneva: WHO, 2018.

Allin S., Davidson MJ., Denny K., O’Toole D. “The role of performance data and information in driving and supporting health system innovation.” In The Canadian Agenda for Healthcare Innovation: Policy, Politics and Practice. Carson, A.S. & Nossal, K.R. eds. Montreal & Kingston: McGill-Queen’s University Press, Queen’s Policy Studies Series, 2018.

Veillard J. Denny, K., Tipper, B. & Klazinga, N. “From performance measurement to performance management.” In Managing a Canadian Healthcare Strategy, Carson, A.S. & Nossal, K.R. eds. Montreal & Kingston: McGill-Queen’s University Press, Queen’s Policy Studies Series, 2016.

Henderson J. & Denny K. “The resilient child, human development, and the ‘postdemocracy.’” Biosocieties. 10(3): 352-78, 2015.

Denny K. & Veillard J. “Towards a model of stewardship and accountability in support of innovation and ‘good’ failure.” Healthcare Papers. 15(2): 38-43, 2015.

Veillard J. & Denny K. “Transformation through clinical and social integration: meeting the needs of high users of healthcare.” Healthcare Papers. 14(2): 4-8, 2014.

Choi BCK, Decou ML, Rasali D, Martens PJ, Mancuso M, Plotnikoff RC, Neudorf C, Thanos J, Svenson LW, Denny K, Orpana H, Stewart P, King M, Griffith J, Erickson T, van Dorp R, White D, Ali A. “Enhancing capacity for risk factor surveillance at the regional/local level: A follow-up review of the findings of the Canadian Think Tank Forum after 4 years.” Archives of Public Health 72(2):2-12, 2014.

Denny K. & Elgar F. “Mental Health Promotion: Population Perspectives.” Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health 32(1): 1-7, 2013.

Denny K. “Taking the social determinants of health seriously: a health services perspective.” Healthcare Management Forum 25(3): 142-5, 2012.

Denny K. & Davidson M. “Area-based socioeconomic measures as tools for health disparities research, policy and planning.” Canadian Journal of Public Health 103(suppl 2): s4-6, 2012.

Denny K. & Brownell M. “A social determinants perspective on children’s health and development.” Canadian Journal of Public Health 101(suppl 3): s4-7, November/December 2010.

Denny K. & Votta E. “Health in urban places in Canada: a population perspective.” In Forgotten Families: Globalization and the Health of Canadians, (Transdisciplinary Studies in Population Health Series). Ottawa: Institute of Population Health, University of Ottawa, 2010, pp. 73-97.

Kastanias P., Denny K., Robinson S. “What do surgical patients really want to know about pain and pain management?” Nursing Pain Management 10(1):22-31, 2009.

Denny K. Social Capital and Health: A Critical History of a Concept. Saarbrucken: VDM Verlag, 2008.

Coburn D., Denny K., Mykhalovskiy E., McDonough P. & Robertson A. “Population Health in Canada: a brief critique.” American Journal of Public Health 93(3):392-6, 2003.

Denny K. “Evidence based medicine and medical authority.” Journal of Medical Humanities 20(4): 247-63., 1999.

Journal Issues

Editor (with Jeremy Veillard Toronto), Healthcare Papers: Meeting the Needs of Health Care’s Highest Users by Strengthening Clinical and Social Integration. 14(2), 2014.

Editor (with Frank Elgar) Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health: Mental Health Promotion: A Population Health Perspective. 31(1), 2013.

Editor Canadian Journal of Public Health: Area-Based Socioeconomic Measures as Tools for Health Disparities Research, Policy and Planning. 103(suppl 2), 2012.

Editor (with Marni Brownell) Canadian Journal of Public Health: Taking a social determinants perspective on children’s health and development. November/December 2010.