Health Research BC Health Equity Grants Program Archives

Enhancing equity in our communities: a community-engaged mixed-methods pilot project of a 2SLGBTQIA+ Liaison Nurse role

Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex, and asexual (2SLGBTQIA+) people experience discrimination in their daily lives that contributes to poorer health and well-being. Health service settings are common sites of discrimination for 2SLGBTQIA+ people, who often feel unsafe and fear poor treatment within the health system, which leads to an unwillingness to access essential health services altogether.

In response to the need for safe and meaningful health services for 2SLGBTQIA+ people, Island Health has launched a revolutionary role: the 2SLGBTQIA+ Liaison Nurse. To our knowledge, Island Health is the first health authority in Canada to develop a role specifically designed to offer support and guidance for 2SLGBTQIA+ people accessing and navigating the health system.

This feasibility project will use community-engaged mixed-methods to (i) explore how the Liaison Nurse supports 2SLGBTQIA+ community members (including specific approaches and strategies), and (ii) learn about the experiences of 2SLGBTQIA+ community members who have received support from the Liaison Nurse during their health care journey within Island Health. We will host a Community Forum to share project findings and engage in conversations about directions for potential growth to support implementing the role across other health authorities in B.C.

This project has been generously supported by the Health Research BC Health Equity Grants Program and is led by Dr. Ingrid Handlovsky and Dr. Allie Slemon, Assistant Professors in the School of Nursing at the University of Victoria and Chandra Berkan-Hozempa, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Island Health. For more information on the project, visit the AdJust Research Collective website.

Developing therapeutic groups using tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) in tertiary pediatric mental health

Youth with complex mental health and neurodevelopmental differences benefit from diverse opportunities to practice using coping strategies. These youth also benefit from therapeutic opportunities that leverage internal motivation to participate, so it’s important for them to have fun in therapy. It’s also important for these youth to trial the use of strategies in peer-based environments that offer flexible levels of instruction and support.

Current service formats do not meet these needs, so Sonya’s team will evaluate the use of tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) for therapeutic purposes in outpatient youth mental health settings. TTRPGs are saturated with humour, risk-taking, and creativity. TTRPGs bring players together to solve problems. The problems evolve and are shaped based on participant choices and interests, and solving the problems is an inherently social task. This means that TTRPGs manifest many of the same social demands and challenges that youth encounter at home and at school. In this sense, TTRPGs are a natural vehicle for bridging the gap between outpatient treatment and real-life function.

Together with youth and their families and carers, the team will explore TTRPGs as a natural creative space in which youth can learn to self-monitor, self-regulate, and advocate for themselves.

Building a Compassionate Community: A Patient-Oriented Approach for Persons Seeking Medical Assistance in Dying

Island Health has the highest rate of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) provision in BC. Recent research has highlighted gaps in support for equity-deserving populations seeking MAiD. MAiD legislation now allows provision for people whose natural death is not foreseeable; however, they do not meet criteria for palliative or end-of-life care. Rising rates of substance use, mental health disorders, and homelessness further underscore the need for compassionate, supportive care for those considering MAiD. Many non-profit community organizations that provide health and social services for equity-deserving groups lack awareness about MAiD and its processes, limiting their ability to offer informed support.

Dr. Variath and her team have received a Health Research BC Health Equity Grant to address these gaps and foster collaboration between Island Health’s MAiD program, people with lived or living experiences, and local community support organizations. The primary goals are: 1) to explore and strengthen community-based supports available for equity-deserving populations seeking MAiD on Vancouver Island and 2) to enhance awareness and understanding of MAiD among community support organizations. This project will establish a strong foundation for developing an integrated Compassionate Community approach that offers wrap-around support to persons seeking MAiD and their families.

A Pharmacist’s Role in a Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Clinic: Evaluating the Impact on Workflow and Patient Experience

Parkinson disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative condition. The wait time to see a provider at the Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Clinic at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, BC is 24 months. Because PD is progressive, changing symptoms can be difficult to manage in between appointments, leaving individuals feeling unsupported and adjusting their medications without guidance.

To address this need, this research project will evaluate the impact of integrating a pharmacist into the interdisciplinary team at the Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Clinic at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria. A committee of individuals with PD and care partners/caregivers will be fully engaged throughout the project to help ensure that the integration of the pharmacist into clinic operations will effectively address the health needs of the PD community.

Prior to initiating the pilot phase, individuals affected by PD and team members of the clinic will be providing their input and feedback on the gaps that need to be addressed pertaining to the provision of care. The pilot phase will then implement the integration of the pharmacist on the team. Finally, the research team will evaluate the impact on workflow and efficiency from both the patients’ and clinic staff perspectives, enabling them to identify effective and meaningful solutions.