Research Faculty

Professor Doris Yu is currently the Professor at the School of Nursing. Professor Yu’s research has focused on gerontology and long-term care.

The ever-escalating burden of disease and disability associated with the rapid aging drives her research work. She has obtained over HK$20 million (USD 2.6 million) external competitive research grants including the General Research Fund, the Health and Medical Research Fund, and the Research Impact Fund for studies on prevalent elderly issues including geriatric symptom management, disease management models for heart failure (HF), brain health promotion, and strength-based care models on dementia care and caregiving. The work was disseminated in over 120 ISI journals including the top-rank journals in nursing, gerontology and cardiology such as European Heart Journal, European Journal of Heart Failure, International Journal of Cardiology, Journal of American Geriatric Society and International Journal of Nursing Studies. She also did research dissemination in the scientific sessions of International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics, the Gerontological Society of America, European Society of Cardiology, and American Heart Association. The research impact is evident, with her publication cited in the international guideline by the European Society of Cardiology. The developed care models are also integrated into the community nursing service (HF patient empowerment model and transitional care) and aging service (strength-based model) in Hong Kong. She also participates in the grant review exercise for the Research Grant Council (Humanity and Social Science Panel), Public Policy Research Fund, and the Health and Medical Research Fund.

With her enthusiasm in science implementation, she has received over HK$84.5 million (USD 10.8 million) of donations for preparing the society for population aging. She has developed a multi-disciplinary model to promote territory-wide gerontological education in Hong Kong for the general public, informal caregivers and professionals. With the increasing demand on aged care in the health and social service, she also developed an innovative case management model led by nurses, social workers and health coaches to support older adults with deprived social support and network. Her achievement is recognized by the conferment of The Award of Excellence in Social Engagement (Best Impact Award). She is currently the advisor and Social Service Board member of several major non-government organizations in Hong Kong.

For nursing education, Professor Yu has extensive experience in leading under-graduate and post-graduate nursing education. The teaching success is well reflected in her track record of obtaining 13 Teaching Awards, including the Vice-Chancellor's Exemplary Teaching Award. She has supervised 11 PhD students who had published the work in ISI journals and they have a good post-graduated employment record. She is the panel member of the accreditation team of the Hong Kong Nursing Council and the Specialist of the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualification. Internationally, she served the East Asian Forum of Nursing Scholars Executive Committee for over ten years to support the post-graduate nursing education in the region. She is also the external examiner of the University of Hull for the baccalaureate nursing program. In response to the Hong Kong Policy Address in 2010 about the manpower shortage for aging service, she has successfully pioneered the Bachelor of Gerontology Programme to support the re-engineering of the human resource for the aging service in Hong Kong.