Over half a million Canadians live with bipolar disorder (BD), a long-term, serious mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings from depression to mania. With optimal treatment, care, and empowerment, people with BD can flourish, but this requires more than just medication. Mobile phone applications (‘apps’) can deliver knowledge on effective self-management strategies for BD and provide real-time support. Despite high interest in mental health apps, a CREST.BD survey showed that in practice few people with BD are using such tools, and clinicians do not feel well equipped to recommend apps to their patients.
This project will develop a suite of patient and clinician-facing educational resources (e.g. webinars, videos, blog posts) in collaboration with people with lived-experience and clinicians. A co-ordinated social media strategy will be developed to increase awareness of these resources.
Expected outcomes include: patients will better understand the potential benefits and risks of mental health apps; patients will improve their digital health literacy by learning strategies to identify safe and secure mental health apps; clinicians will improve knowledge about app evaluation frameworks and informed decision making.
Team members: Natalie Dee (CREST.BD); Emma Morton (UBC); John Torous (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre); Rosemary Xinhe Hu (CREST.BD); Caden Poh (UBC); Laura Lapadat (UBC); Linda Yang (UBC)
Cannabis was legalized in Canada with the introduction of the Cannabis Act in 2018. This rapid legalization has led to a knowledge gap in doctors. Although most users smoke cannabis, few doctors know the health effects of smoking cannabis in the upper airway. In previously funded work, our team has reviewed the scientific literature and summarized these health effects, both positive and negative. During the COVID19 pandemic, innovative knowledge translation activities are needed. We propose a two-part initiative to educate health practitioners about cannabis, targeting family doctors who are the patient’s gateway to the Canadian health system. First, we will co-design a webinar with the research users on our newly launched provincial ENTCME.org platform. This event will be recorded for asynchronous access. Second, we will co-create infographics to summarize the information and launch a social media campaign on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Reach and effectiveness will be assessed by registration for the webinar and pre- and post-engagement surveys. Performance data from each social media platform will also be analyzed. Our goal is to help doctors guide patients to make informed, evidence-based choices on cannabis usage.
Team members: Brenna Lynn (UBC); Andrew Thamboo (UBC); Emily Deane (UBC); Joel Howlett (UBC); Jobanjit Phulka (UBC); James P. McCormack (UBC); Dinusha Peiris (BC Cancer Agency); M-J Milloy (British Columbia Centre on Substance Use and UBC); Christie A Newton (UBC)
This project builds on another study that resulted in the development of an evidence-based guideline for healthcare providers (HCPs) on the integration of patient-centred measurement (PCM) data to incorporate the voice of persons. Incorporating PCMs into routine practice is one way to attain patient-centred care. In this project, the guideline will be spread to decision makers and HCPs working in the Mental Health and Substance Use (MHSU), specifically community psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery services in British Columbia and across Canada. In collaboration with practice and patient partners, two activities will be completed. First, we will develop and share clinical decision tools for HCPs to routinely integrate PCM. To increase awareness about the guideline, educational webinars will be developed, offered, and evaluated. These activities facilitate the wider uptake and sustainability of PCMs at the point of care. Expected outcomes of this project include: (a) development of clinical decision tools and webinars specific to MHSU to augment the PCM guideline, (b) enhanced awareness by HCPs and decision-makers about the guideline, and (c) delivery of person-centred care for psychosocial rehabilitation.
Team members: Anthony Neptune (Mental Health and Substance Use); Zohreh Yaghoub Zadeh (Mental Health and Substance Use, and Fraser Health); Lynn Musto (Trinity Western University); Vidhi Thakkar (Trinity Western University)
Effective approaches to prevent falls exist, yet barriers to their uptake exist. These barriers include: 1) patient knowledge of best-practices for falls prevention; 2) geriatrician time and a geriatrician shortage in British Columbia (BC); and 3) access to Otago Exercise Program (OEP) training across BC. To mitigate some of these barriers, we propose a series of videos guided by patient, clinician and physiotherapist champions. The Falls Prevention Clinic team includes patient partners, geriatricians, and physiotherapist champions who deliver the OEP. A primary goal of this video series will be to: 1) increase awareness using accessible language of best practices for falls prevention; 2) increase referrals to physiotherapists for falls risk assessment from geriatricians; and 3) provide access to resources for physiotherapists who would like training in the delivery of the OEP. The intent of these videos is to prevent falls and thus promote healthy aging by: 1) facilitate improved patient understanding of how to prevent falls; 2) address the geriatricians capacity burden through increased physiotherapist referrals for falls risk assessment; and 3) foster translation of the OEP to physiotherapists across BC.
Team members: Tracy Dignum (UBC); Teresa Liu-Ambrose (UBC); Linda Li (UBC); Kenneth Madden (UBC); Naaz Parmar (UBC); Larry Dian (UBC); Catherine Chan (UBC); Alison Chan (UBC); Lillian Morishita (Retired); Cassandra Adjetey (UBC); Eleanor (“Jean”) Ko (Retired); Mohammed Esfahaad (Retired)
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)
The proposed Participatory Indigenous Nursing Knowledge Translation Project will provide opportunities for stakeholders from British Columbia’s health authorities, nursing educational institutes, professional nursing organizations and associations to participate in the integrated knowledge translation stakeholder’s forum to establish an Indigenous Health Professional’s (IHP) Network. The intent is to cocreate Indigenous wellness supports by and for Indigenous healthcare professionals to decolonize healthcare systems and structures. This work is in response to the Calls for Action on Truth and Reconciliation, and to respond to Interior Health and FNHA mandated strategy to address Indigenous workforce issues. A key outcome of the integrated knowledge translation activities will be the collaboration of community members, with multidisciplinary Indigenous health professionals coming together to address the growing inequities, racism, and discrimination. Through Indigenous health nursing leadership and guidance with Indigenous knowledge holders our team will co-create Indigenous wellness support systems, through policy development, and educational training in culturally informed ways through Intergenerational Indigenous mentorship.
Team members: Judy Sturm (Interior Health); Rose Mylnek (Thompson Rivers University); Christina (University of Victoria); Melba D’Souza (Thompson Rivers University); Colleen Seymour (Tk’emlups Knowledge Holder); Leslie Bryant (Interior Health); Tracy Mooney (Interior Health); Shirlie Delacherois (Interior Health); Shesley Callison-Hanna (Thompson Rivers University)
POR is an increasingly popular approach to research, involving meaningful partnerships with patients to improve the relevance and use of research. There is an increasing focus on how teams can best support partnerships, including fair compensation for patients partners and greater openness about research funding practices. This is particularly important when research is funded by private companies or donors, as COI can arise and may affect the ethical conduct or quality of the research.
A COI can happen when a research team member stands to gain status or financial advantages as a result of a research partnership and teams are faced with the need to find ways to address these. However, little is known about how to manage COI in POR. Our previous research has explored the research literature, as well as the perspectives of those engaged in POR. We found few examples of how COI can be managed and a need for practical resources and tools. In this planned research, we will work together to create a guidebook, including resources and tools, to help POR teams identify and manage COI. Designed to reflect needs of diverse audiences, we will share these widely to raise awareness, support best practices, and evaluate its usefulness.
Team members: Marc Bains (HeartLife); Stirling Bryan (BC Academic Health Science Network); Alison Hoens (UBC); Michelle Mujoomdar (Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technology); Trina Fyfe (University of Northern British Columbia); Iva Cheung (Freelance); Erin Michalak (UBC and BC SUPPORT Unit); Justin Otteson (BC SUPPORT Unit); Haydn Molcak (UBC); Daman Kandola (University of Northern British Columbia); Jennifer Brown (UBC); Nassim Adhami (University of Northern British Columbia); Shayna Dolan (University of Northern British Columbia)
The Strengthening Cultural Identity project will connect urban Indigenous youth in care to language learning resources and culturally centered coming of age activities in lək̓ʷəŋən territory (Victoria, British Columbia). These elements were identified by youth participants during the 2018-2021 Coming of Age Project, as a way to strengthen their Indigenous identities. Building on the partnership between Surrounded by Cedar Child and Family Services (SCCFS) and the University of Victoria, we are proposing a knowledge sharing project that will support two of SCCFS’s youth groups, the Xe’Xe’tuls’thut (leadership) group and the Youth Advisory Council, in determining how they would like to integrate language and cultural teachings into their lives.
We will do this by:
- Translating knowledge sharing resources into lək̓ʷəŋən’anthun (Lewungen’athun) to honour the territory where we work, and nuučaan̓uɫ (Nuu chah nulth), to recognize the diversity of the urban Indigenous youth-in-care community.
- Working with the youth to facilitate access to language learning (e.g. the KS tools, language resources/teachers) and cultural activities in self-determined ways
- Celebrating what we have learned at a community feast.
Team members: Jennifer Chuckry (Surrounded by Cedar Child and Family Services); Andrea Mellor (University of Victoria)
