During the years leading up to menopause, women often experience menstrual cycle and flow changes. This is usually part of normal aging, but can also be the first symptom of endometrial cancer, the most common gynecological cancer in Canada. Few women are aware of the risk factors for endometrial cancer, can recognize abnormal bleeding, and/or seek medical help. Predicting cancer risk and determining which abnormal bleeding is associated with endometrial cancer is a top priority for clinicians and women alike, because if detected early, this cancer is curable and has exceptional outcomes. Digital health technology (e.g. mobile phones apps) and analytics can help women track and monitor risk factors and symptoms and be alerted when suspicious patterns arise. In this project, we will collaborate with women in the community, patients, clinicians, and women’s health researchers to co-design digital health tools that can help women learn about and assess their risk factors for endometrial cancer, discern symptoms of cancer from those of normal aging, and provide opportunities for education, prevention, and early detection, especially among women at high-risk for cancer.
Team members: Jerilynn Prior (UBC); Lauren Tindale (UBC); Malak Ibrahim (UBC); Lori Brotto (UBC); Gurm Dhugga (UBC); Shirley Weir (Community Partner); Ali Zentner (Revolution Medical Clinic); Elise Abi Khalil (UBC); Shanzhao Wang (OVCARE, BC Cancer Agency); Sabrina Wong (UBC); Candice Taguibao (Women’s Health Research Institute); Nicole Prestley (Women’s Health Research Institute)
Teenage pregnancy is associated with a higher risk of poverty, mental health problems, and substance use. In the Northern Health Authority, rates of teen births are twice as high as elsewhere in BC. Prenatal education is known to reduce unhealthy pregnancy outcomes, but few women attend in the north and the number of teens that attend is unknown. As an alternative, we have developed a prenatal education program, (SmartMom), that delivers three SMS text messages each week related to participants’ week of pregnancy. Over one year, we will engage and convene partners in Northern Health to develop a supplemental stream of messages that is relevant and engaging for teen mothers. Through two information gathering meetings in each of several communities, we will develop content that is age-appropriate and appealing to young mothers. We will also develop a Youth Advisory Council to review our messaging and plan evaluation activities. We plan to monitor teen participation in the program and measure changes in knowledge, adoption of healthy behaviours and rates of adverse pregnancy outcomes. While the primary focus is not Indigenous health, we aim to ensure Indigenous teens and their unique lived experiences are considered in our program.
Team members: Randi Parsons (Northern Health); Shaina Pennington (UBC); Vanessa Salmons (Northern Health); Jennifer Murray (UBC)
The nine Coast Salish and Nuu-Chah-Nulth nations of southern Vancouver Island have supported diabetes prevention and management with a variety of programs; however, the rate of diabetes continues to rise. Our goal is to engage with the nine First Nations communities through one-day gatherings to identify the assets, experiences, barriers, and gaps within each community, and integrate culture and language into a community-led model for diabetes prevention, treatment and management. We aim to co-create a framework for a diabetes prevention and care model that is community-driven, improves diabetes services at the local level, and supports nation-based self-determined approaches to diabetes prevention and management. It is imperative that we prioritize this work and align our efforts to explore a collaborative, decolonized approach to diabetes care. Our model will enhance the culture and resilience that is already present within our communities and bridge gaps in care to develop a diabetes strategy that can support our question of “How can we be who we are as First Nations people while integrating our Traditional knowledge with the best of Western approaches to diabetes care?”.
Team members: Valerie Bob (Simon Fraser University); Gwen Underwood (Saanich First Nations Adult Care Society); Marie Va’a (Tsartlip First Nation); Emily Doehnel (Tsartlip First Nation); Lois Williams (Tsawout First Nation); Kelli Telford (Tseycum First Nation); Kinsey Goertz (Tseycum First Nation); MaryAnn Daniels (Pauquachin First Nation); Jessie Jim (Songhees Nation); Hayley Moreau (Songhees Nation); Chris McElroy (Songhees Nation); Jeneen Hunt (Esquimalt Nation); Stephanie McMahon (Esquimalt Nation); Krista Johnny (Scia’new First Nation); Angie Gibson (Scia’new First Nation); Rose Dumont (T’sou’ke Nation); Jennifer Routhier (T’sou’ke Nation); Grant Robinson (Island Health); Penny Cooper (Island Health); Ashley Simpson (University of Victoria); Jennifer Murray (UBC); Brenda Bartleman (Tsartlip First Nation); Judith Atkin (Island Health); Amanda Henry (Island Health); Carol Hill (Pacheedaht Nation); Tara Claxton (Pacheedaht Nation); Rachel Dickens (Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council); Mathew Dueck (First Nations Health Authority)
Childbirth is the most common reason for a hospital visit in BC, accounting for 1 in 10 hospital visits. To make sure that pregnant women receive the best care possible, we need to evaluate how the way in which we provide care — our obstetrical policies and practices — affects the health of women and newborns.
BC has all the building blocks needed for world-class obstetrical care research — including a large database with detailed pregnancy records, university experts in policy analysis, and a single academic department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology. However, we have no mechanism for bringing these assets together.
This award will catalyze the creation of a partnership that brings together BC’s expertise and resources for evaluating obstetrical care. Key outcomes are to:
- Establish procedures for a working partnership of researchers, health care providers, and patient partners interested in conducting research to improve obstetrical care in BC, learning from partnerships in other fields.
- Bring together partnership members to co-identify research priorities for improving obstetrical health care in BC.
- Give students an opportunity to engage with care providers, patient partners, and experienced researchers.
Team members: Jessica Liauw (UBC); Ellen Giesbrecht (Perinatal Services BC); Julie van Schalkwyk (BC Women’s Hospital); Ken Lim (BC Women’s Hospital); Chantal Mayer (PHSA); Jason Burrows (Surrey Memorial Hospital); Sheona Mitchell (University Hospital of Northern BC); Raz Moola (Kootenay Lake Hospital); Luc Beaudet (Cowichan District Hospital); Val Rychel (St. Paul’s Hospital); Gillian Hanley (UBC); Laura Schummers (UBC); Charles Litwin (UBC); Amy Hobbs (UBC); Kenny Der (Perinatal Services BC)
Mental health and substance use (MHSU) are key health concerns for youth in British Columbia. Involving youth in research for these topics improves the development of MHSU interventions and solutions. However, youth may not want to engage in MHSU research due to concerns about confidentiality, stigma, and other barriers. Researchers may also perceive barriers in finding and working with youth researchers.
Our project goal is to identify barriers for youth engagement in MHSU research and recommend solutions for these issues. Two key activities will be used to bring together youths and researchers to identify the perceived barriers for each group and how these barriers can be overcome. These activities include a small-group discussion (utilizing nominal group technique) and a World Cafe. Our team will synthesize these results and outline a list of recommendations for youth engagement in MHSU research. We also plan to use this output to pursue additional funding for a pilot study using these recommendations. The pilot study would measure changes in youth research engagement and research outcomes due to the recommendations.
Team members: Dan Nixon (Providence Health Care and Foundry); Krista Glowacki (UBC); Kirsten Marchand (Providence Health Care and Foundry); Nikki Ow (UBC); Travis Salway (SFU); Hasina Samji (SFU); Steve Mathias (Providence Health Care and Foundry); Renee Cormier (Providence Health Care and Foundry); Anne Gadermann (UBC); Sarah Munro (UBC); Amanda Butler (Providence Health Care and Foundry); Chloe Gao (UBC)
Better and more inclusive care is dependent on including patient perspectives or “voice.” Yet, patient voice is rarely included in the design, modification or implementation of digital health systems (DHS) such as patient portals or electronic health records. As a result, DHS are rarely embraced by patient populations who could have the greatest benefit.
For Two-Spirit, transgender, nonbinary and other gender-diverse people (Trans+), this lack of voice is made worse by inaccurate DHS representations of gender identities. Negative healthcare experiences can discourage Trans+ patients from attending or returning for future visits.
Our collaboration includes Trans+ people, Trans Care BC, and other researchers. We will co-develop a program of research that brings patient voices into the design, modification, and implementation of DHS. The project extends our ongoing work to improve representation in DHS. This project is timely given the provincial government’s recent implementation of Health Gateway, a patient-accessed DHS allowing patients access to their health records.
Team members: Lorraine Grieves (Provincial Health Services Authority); Marcy Antonio (University of Victoria); Francis Lau (University of Victoria); Lindsay MacNeil (Trans Care BC); Quinn Bennett (Trans Care BC); Kelly Davison (University of Victoria); Roz Queen (University of Victoria); Aaron Devor (University of Victoria); Patient Partner TBA (Community Member)
Cancer is most common amongst older adults. Older adults with cancer have distinct needs due to underlying health conditions and social situations, which may include a lack of social and financial supports. These factors often affect their ability to manage treatments, cope with treatment side effects, and make health care decisions. For older adults who do not speak English, have limited knowledge about the health care system, or have poor understanding of health or illness; navigating the cancer system is even harder. Older adults are often cared for by informal caregivers, such as family members, due to limited resources or services available to support older adults with cancer in the community. Caregivers face challenges trying to balance their caregiver role, not only for the older adult, but also for their younger dependents; work; and their own health needs.
Through virtual meetings and priority setting work, we will achieve the following goals: establish partnerships between older adults, caregivers, and diverse seniors’ groups; identify key research priorities to improve cancer care for older adults and their caregivers in BC; and develop a five-year research agenda to improve care for older adults with cancer.
Team members: Caroline Mariano (BC Cancer); Bonnie Leung (BC Cancer); Lorelei Newton (University of Victoria, and Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology); Daniel Renouf (BC Cancer); Sabrina Wong (UBC); Lisa Quay (Jewish Community Centre); Keiko Funahashi (Tonari Gumi); Anthony Kuperschmidt (West End Seniors Network)
Dedicated women’s health research is a relatively recent milestone. Available guidance for including trans and intersex people in this work has not acknowledged the social, historical and political contexts that led to naming cisgender women (women whose gender aligns with their sex assigned at birth) in research, and tends to be focused either on clinical work (e.g. how to refer to patients and their anatomy) or on data collection (e.g. how to ask about sex and gender).
“Beyond the Binary” will include a survey to assess current gender-equity initiatives in BC, two educational workshops, and two knowledge exchange events to inform guidance for gender-equitable practice within BC’s women’s health research community. To co-create safe, trauma-informed, and patient-oriented guidance, trans and intersex people will be invited to participate in these activities and to participate on a Community Steering Committee. Through collaboration with people from trans, intersex, research, health, ethics, and academic communities, we aim to develop context-specific guidance, resources, and recommendations for researchers and health decision-makers to bridge this knowledge gap.
Team members: Beverley Pomeroy (Fraser Health); Laurel Evans (UBC); Caroline Sanders (University of Northern British Columbia); Ann Pederson (BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre); Michelle Chan (UBC); Tamara Baldwin (UBC); Lindsay Carpenter (University of Northern British Columbia); Faith Jabs (UBC); Skye Barbic (UBC); Julia Santana Parrila (Women’s Health Research Institute); Nicole Prestley-Stuart (Women’s Health Research Institute); Lorraine Greaves (Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health); Lori Brotto (UBC); Wendy Robinson (BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute); Melissa Nelson (Women’s Health Research Institute); AJ Murray (BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre)
As our population ages and generational shifts occur, the health and social needs of older British Columbians are changing. Senior centres play an important role in providing health promotion, social services, and recreational activities that enhance the health and wellbeing of community-dwelling older adults. Despite the important roles senior centres can play in the lives of older adults, to date there has been limited research on senior centres and the impacts of their programs and services on older adults. The purpose of this project is to host four workshops for stakeholders from Vancouver senior centres (staff, board members, and senior centre members) to co-develop an agenda for future research. The workshops will provide an opportunity to learn more about stakeholders’ perspectives about the current challenges, opportunities, emerging trends, and roles for senior centres in supporting the health and wellbeing of older adults. Based on the workshops, a workshop report will be created as a well as a research agenda for future research on senior centres.
Team members: Anthony Kupferschmidt (West End Seniors’ Network); Leslie Remund (411 Seniors Centre Society); Douglas Dunn (South Granville Seniors Centre); Laura Kadowaki (Simon Fraser University)
Researchers build computer models to explore the potential costs and benefits of different ways of providing health care — and model results influence health services in BC. This project will bring together BC experts (‘health economic modelers’) and connect them with research users and members of patient and public organizations. First, modelers will meet with research users to understand current processes of model development, decision-making, patient and public involvement, and transparency (i.e. clear, culturally safe, accessible information) in modeling. Then, modelers, research users, and members of patient and public organizations will meet at two online engagement sessions. Sessions will highlight what health economic modeling is; how models are developed; why modeling involves making social and ethical decisions that affect patients and members of the public; what modeling processes in BC are like; how models are being used in policy-making; where patient and public input in modeling is most important; and the goals of transparency. Participants will be invited to discuss and record their research priorities and perspectives on appropriate processes, creating shareable knowledge and connections for future collaboration.
Team members: Ian Cromwell (Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technology in Health); Stephanie Harvard (UBC); Manik Saini (BC Ministry of Health); Jemal Mohamed (BC Ministry of Health); Leah Grantham (Independent Consultant); Amin Adibi (UBC); Eric Winsberg (University of South Florida); Nick Bansback (UBC); David Whitehurst (Simon Fraser University)
