Research Funding

The overall goal of the project is to investigate the most effective way to use the existing strengths of a community to design community-based health-related programming, and to measure the impact and sustainability of such programs that are co-designed with members of local communities. Community participation is a core principle of primary health care. In particular, we will create a community-based program on self-management of diabetes, and for the first time at McMaster, key members of the design and research team will be members of the community itself. In addition this funding is supporting a workshop on patient and public engagement in research to be led by Dr. Patricia Wilson who is a Professor of Primary and Community Care at the University of Kent, Canterbury, England, and heads up the Kent Academic Primary Care Unit..There will be an open invitation seminar with the following learning objectives: a) Reflect on your past experiences with patient and public engagement in research. What did and did not work?; b) Increase your understanding about the value added by patient and public engagement in research and c) Gain knowledge about effective ways to engage patients and the public in research. This will be followed by a invitation 2 day workshop to include participation by the public, rsearch trainees, researchers, policy makers and decision-makers.

Role:

Co-Primary Investigator

Date:

June 2016-December 2017

Funding:

• Labarge Foundation ($75,000)

The proposed study will focus on learning about how to best implement a new model of interprofessional, community-based stroke rehabilitation so that it becomes normalized in practice. It will also evaluate this innovative e-Health approach. It involves a rigorous evaluation of impact and an assessment of implementation processes (e.g., technology uptake). Assessment components will include a measure of effectiveness, and will contribute to changes in practice, care and public policy. Most importantly, this pilot project will enhance our collective knowledge of how new mobile technology can support decentralized, connected care that puts patients first.

Role:

Co-Primary Investigator

Date:

Sept. 1, 2016-Aug. 31, 2018

Funding:

• Max Bell Foundation ($250,000)

More Information:

McMaster University Daily News Story

McMaster University - School of Nursing News

Advancing transitional care for community-based adults with stroke and multiple chronic conditions. Published Abstract

Purpose: To further test the Aging, Community and Health Research Unit (ACHRU) - Community Partnership Program (CPP) in diverse primary care and community settings, with diverse populations and across jurisdictions, and plan for scale-up.

Role:

Co-Primary Investigator

Date:

2018-2023

Funding:

• Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) - Primary and Integrated Health Care Innovations (PIHCI) Network: Programmatic Grants. (846,062)
• Diabetes Action Canada (654,563)

More Information:

More about the study at ACHRU

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Role:

Co-Primary Investigator

Date:

2019-2023

Funding:

• Labarge Centre for Mobility in Aging/McMaster Institute for Research on Aging ($1,000,000)

Purpose: To focus on scaling up the Caregiver Inclusive and Accommodating Workplace Organizations Standard’s uptake nationally and internationally.

Role:

Co-Investigator

Date:

2018-2023

Funding:

• CIHR/SSHRC Healthy and Productive Work - Partnership Grant ($1,424,610)

A prospective case study design will be used to explore the implementation and outcomes of an intervention to stimulate a primary care and public health collaboration in an urban neighbourhood in Ontario. Activities include co-designing a training module with a core neighbourhood team composed of community members and PHC/PH providers to implement the intervention; the intervention includes the development of a community health profile and a deliberative dialogue. We are interested in the action steps arising from the facilitated collaboration, how the core team viewed the process of jointly facilitating the intervention for PHC and PH collaboration, and the feasibility of the intervention.

Role:

Primary Investigator

Date:

2018-2020

Funding:

• Ministry of Health and Long Term Care ($129,790.)

Purpose: To identify and compare innovative community-based navigation programs across Canada. TEAM: Warner, G., Urquhart, R., Pfaff, K., Stajduhar, K., Tschupruk, C., Dolovich, L., Garland Baird, L., Howard, M., Marshall, D., McMurphy, S., Derbyshire, C., Roberts, D., Sattler, D., Johnston, G., Patrick, L., Purdon, M., Valaitis, R., Ricketts, S., Ward, T.

Role:

Co-Investigator

Date:

2018-2020

Funding:

• CIHR SPOR PIHCI Network, Comparative Program and Policy Analysis Grant, (264,158)

Purpose: To use a systematic approach to identify national family practice (FP) nursing competencies to support the integration and optimization of Registered Nurses (RNs) in primary care. Research Aims: To develop an initial draft of FP nursing competencies and obtain national agreement regarding these competencies; To assess the extent to which Canadian undergraduate baccalaureate and post-graduate FP nursing programs have incorporated the identified FP nursing competencies into their curriculum; and To assess the learning needs and practices of FP nurses with regards to the identified FP nursing competencies across Canada. Team: Lukewich, J., Allard, M., Ashley, L., Aubrey-Bassler, F., Bryant-Lukosius, D., Martin-Misener, R., Mattews, M., Poitras, M., Schofield, R., Tranmer, J., Valaitis, R., and Wong, S.

Role:

Co-Investigator

Date:

2018-2019

Funding:

• CIHR Project Grant (91,800)

A new law in Ontario, called the Patients First Act, requires public health units (PHUs) and Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) to work together in new ways. This project aims to answer the question, “What are the key elements for a successful collaboration between LHINs and PHUs as required by Patients First legislation, to improve the health system in Ontario informed by a population health approach?” We know that not all PHU and LHIN relationships are the same. We will make a special effort to engage key groups throughout the project to learn from collaboration already in progress in Ontario. The project team will gather information to: - learn what PHUs and LHINs expect of and offer each other for shared population health work. - determine what information can best support health system planning and delivery and whether this information takes into account all the factors that influence health over lifetimes.

Role:

Primary Investigator

Date:

2017-2018

Funding:

• Public Health Ontario (110,943)

More Information:

Link to Project Description and evidence Briefs

Link to Plenary at TOPHC - see Hot TOPHC: Working together to achieve an integrated health system

The goal of our proposed project is to evaluate a) our engagement approaches and b) the impacts of involving older adult patients and family caregivers in the design and implementation of community-based intervention research. Specific project objectives are to: 1. Recruit patients and caregivers from diverse backgrounds (i.e., citizens who represent the population being served, including sub-populations that reflect diverse ethnic, socio-economic, and education level perspectives). 2. Provide a foundational training program and ongoing support for patients and caregivers in the research process; 3. Integrate patients and caregivers in all phases of the research by engaging them in: (a) community forums in three participating regions in Ontario (Burlington, Guelph and Sudbury) to explore current hospital to home transitional care initiatives; (b) a Community Advisory Board (CAB) in each community; and (c) a Patient and Caregiver Advisory Committee to advise an overarching Steering Committee on issues affecting patients and caregivers; 4. Conduct an evaluation of experiences of patient and caregiver involvement (from patients’, caregivers’, providers’ and researchers’ perspectives) and outcomes at three sites over 2 years; and, 5. Develop recommendations for effective patient and caregiver engagement in research focused on community-based interventions for optimal aging. Co-Is include: Drs. Jenny Ploeg, Maureen Markle-Reid, Carrie McAiney and Rebecca Ganann

Role:

Primary Investigator

Date:

2016-2018

Funding:

• Labarge Foundation ($75,000)

More Information:

A Case Study

The aim of the Aging, Community and Health Research Unit is to promote optimal aging at home. The population includes older adults with many chronic diseases and their family caregivers. The program is in the process of designing, implementing, and evaluating new community-based programs for these populations. The goal is to improve access to health care, quality of life, and other health outcomes of older adults and their caregivers. It is also to reduce costs of health care. The research unit uses an Integrated Knowledge Translation approach. This means that researchers and knowledge users on our team (those who use the research results) work together to develop, implement and interpret this research. This pilot study will explore indicators of successful knowledge translation. In other words, it will identify how we will know that team is working together successfully with researchers and knowledge users. Important end users include patients and caregivers. Our goal is to understand how our knowledge users within the research unit feel about their previous and current involvement. This will help us create better partnerships as we move forward with the program of research.

Role:

Co-Primary Investigator

Date:

2016-2017

Funding:

• McMaster University Niemeier Fund ($3,000)

Health TAPESTRY (Health Teams Advancing Patient Experience: Strengthening Quality) is a community-based approach, centered in primary care, which aims to promote optimal aging through four interconnected elements: trained community volunteers, inter-professional healthcare teams/system navigation, e-health technologies and community engagement. The Health TAPESTRY approach encourages person-centered, proactive care focused on health-related goals set by clients during volunteer home visits and supported by the primary care team. This approach can be adapted according to any number of factors (e.g., role of volunteer, patient population, healthcare team structure, etc.). The Health TAPESTRY program offers a unique opportunity to understand practical learning experiences of students (nursing - in a community health nursing course - and medical clerks) outside the clinical setting. There is a need for students to have learning opportunities outside the traditional clinic setting. Specifically, the purpose of this proposed study is to gain a rich understanding of the Health TAPESTRY program placement of students – from the training, to following the growth of students into this role in the home, outside the traditional clinical context. Ultimately, the aim is to be able to understand how this experience may address an existing gap in the curriculum and serve as a template of structure and knowledge for future offerings for students in the healthcare field in a primary care setting. A. To explore students’ perceptions around the experience of their placement in the Health TAPESTRY program. B. To understand the impact of the learning experience on knowledge, skills and values, beliefs and attitudes about working with older adults, working in primary care and the primary care team. C. To explore differences between nursing and medical clerk students’ experience of their placements in the Health TAPESTRY program.

Role:

Co-Primary Investigator

Date:

2016-2017

Funding:

• Labarge Foundation ($100,000)

More Information:

Presentation at ICCHNR 2016

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Role:

Co-Investigator

Date:

2013-2017

Funding:

• CIHR Team Grant: Community-Based Primary Healthcare ($2.5 Million)

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Role:

Co-Investigator

Date:

2013-2016

Funding:

• Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Health System Research Fund ($3,265,903)

Scholarly Work:

Designing, Implementing and Evaluating Mobile Health Technologies for Managing Chronic Conditions in Older Adults: A scoping review
Development and Implementation of an mHealth App to Support Community-Based Stroke Rehabilitation in Home Care: Lessons Learned from Ontario

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Role:

Primary Investigator

Date:

2014-2016

Funding:

• Health Canada ($196,912)

Scholarly Work:

A Canadian application of EUGENIE – a web-based application to support high older adult users of emergency rooms to access community health and social services assisted by trained primary health care volunteers

Health TAPESTRY works to help people stay healthier for longer in the places where they live. The health goals of our clients are the basis for engaging people in meaningful ways. We are doing this through an adaptable model of health care that connects people, their health care team, volunteers and their community, through the support of technology. We are working with researchers, health care professionals, local community organizations, and health care users to find ways to provide better health services to people as they age. Health TAPESTRY can also be more cost effective for the health care system by bringing trained volunteers into the health care team and using technology to connect people and share information. For more information see http://healthtapestry.ca/about/health-tapestry-mission.

Role:

Co-Investigator

Date:

2013-2016

Funding:

• Health Canada ($6,500,000)
• Labarge Optimal Aging Initiative ($904,005)
• McMaster Family Health Organization ($725,000)
• Government of Ontario ($370,995)
• In-kind ($277,600)

Scholarly Work:

A Protocol for a Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial Using the Health Teams Advancing Patient Experience: Strengthening Quality (Health TAPESTRY) Platform Approach to Promote Person-centred Primary Health Care for Older Adults
Persona-scenario Exercise for Co-designing Primary Care Interventions
Exploration of volunteers as health connectors within a multicomponent primary care‐based program supporting self‐management of diabetes and hypertension

More Information:

Presentation at ICCHNR 2016

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Role:

Co-Primary Investigator

Date:

2009-2015

Funding:

• Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) ($1,471,250)

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Role:

Primary Investigator

Date:

2013-2015

Funding:

• Hamilton Community Foundation Health and Education Research (CHER) Fund ($33,670)

Scholarly Work:

An Environmental Scan of Health and Social System Navigation Services in an Urban Canadian Community
Implementation and maintenance of patient navigation programs linking primary care with community-based health and social services: a scoping literature review
Navigation delivery models and roles of navigators in primary care: a scoping literature review

More Information:

Models of Systems Navigation

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Role:

Co-Primary Investigator

Date:

2014-2015

Funding:

• Technology Evaluation in the Elderly Catalyst Grant Program ($92,241)

More Information:

More about the study

Evidence Brief

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Role:

Co-Investigator

Date:

2014-2015

Funding:

• Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) ($100,000)

Scholarly Work:

Moving Towards a New Vision: Implementation of a public health policy intervention
Supporting Successful Implementation of Public Health Interventions: Protocol for a Realist Synthesis

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Role:

Primary Investigator

Date:

2013-2014

Funding:

• Public Health Agency of Canada ($9,894.28)

Scholarly Work:

Technology to Encourage the Adoption of Health Promoting/Protecting Behaviours: A Comprehensive Literature Review

This research project was undertaken for the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) by the Canadian Centre for Advanced Practice Nursing Research. This report summarizes the issues and policy options and will inform CNA’s future role and strategies for advancing a pan-Canadian primary care framework that optimizes the role of registered nurses (RNs) and advanced practice nurses in primary care interprofessional teams.

Role:

Co-Investigator

Date:

2013-2014

Funding:

• Canadian Nurses Association ($26,994)

Scholarly Work:

Advancing a Pan-Canadian Primary Care Framework: Optimizing the Role of Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners: Final Report

More Information:

Optimizing the Role of Nurses in Primary Care in Canada: Final report

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Role:

Primary Investigator

Date:

2012-2013

Funding:

• Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR), Planning and Dissemination Grants ($15,910)

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Role:

Co-Investigator

Date:

2013-2013

Funding:

• Ontario Health Human Resources Research Network ($10,900)

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Role:

Co-Investigator

Date:

2011-2013

Funding:

• CIHR Planning Grant ($25,000)

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Role:

Co-Investigator

Date:

2011-2013

Funding:

• Hamilton Community Foundation, Community Health and Education Research (CHER) Fund ($29,125)

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Role:

Co-Primary Investigator

Date:

2011-2012

Funding:

• Hamilton Community Foundation, Community Health and Education Research (CHER) Fund ($19,700 (total budget of $35,553))

Scholarly Work:

Street Smarts ↔ Book Smarts: Three Neighborhoods and One University School of Nursing Partnering for Health

The objectives of this four and a half year program of research were to: explore structures and processes required to build successful collaborations between PC and PH; understand the nature of existing collaborations in Canada; and, examine roles that nurses and other providers played in collaborations. Th e research team represents academic researchers and decision makers from British Columbia (BC), Ontario (ON) and Nova Scotia (NS), as well as national leaders in PC and PH. By gaining a stronger understanding of the nature of existing collaborations and the structures and processes that support and hinder their success, this program of research has begun to answer how to create and enhance future PC and PH collaborations.

Role:

Primary Investigator

Date:

2008-2012

Funding:

• Canadian Health Services Research Foundation (CHSRF) REISS Program (name changed to CFHI in 2012) ($1,116,866, including partner contributions of $798,761)

Scholarly Work:

A Scoping Literature Review of Collaboration Between Primary Care and Public Health
Methods, Strategies and Technologies Used to Conduct a Scoping Literature Review of Collaboration Between Primary Care and Public Health
Strengthening Primary Health Care Through Public Health and Primary Care Collaboration: Final Report
An Environmental Scan of Primary Care and Public Health in the Province of British Columbia
Research Uptake Strategies: An Ontario think tank on strengthening collaboration between public and primary care
What systemic factors contribute to collaboration between primary care and public health sectors? An interpretive descriptive study
Strengthening primary health care through primary care and public health collaboration: the influence of intrapersonal and interpersonal factors
Organizational factors influencing successful primary care and public health collaboration

More Information:

Final report

Program of research website

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Role:

Co-Investigator

Date:

2011-2011

Funding:

• Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR), Planning and Dissemination Grants ($15,000)

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Role:

Primary Investigator

Date:

2009-2010

Funding:

• Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) ($19,170)
• Ministry of Health Promotion ($1,500)
• Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (name change to Public Health Ontario in 2011) ($3,000)

Scholarly Work:

Viewpoints About Collaboration Between Primary Care and Public Health in Canada

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Role:

Co-Primary Investigator

Date:

2008-2009

Funding:

• Community Health Nurses Association of Canada ($118,000)

Scholarly Work:

A Questionnaire for Assessing Community Health Nurses’ Learning Needs
Phase 2: Strengthening the Quality of Community Health Nursing Practice: A Pan Canadian Survey of Community Health Nurses’ Continuing Education Needs Study

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Role:

Primary Investigator

Date:

2007-2009

Funding:

• The Change Foundation ($105,015)

Scholarly Work:

Online Communities of Practice as a Communication Resource for Community Health Nurses Working with Homeless Persons

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Role:

Co-Primary Investigator

Date:

2007-2008

Funding:

• Community Health Nurses Association of Canada ($54,807)

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Role:

Co-Investigator

Date:

2005-2008

Funding:

• Council of Ontario University Programs in Nursing (COUPN) ( $249,976)

Scholarly Work:

Nurse Faculty Perceptions of Simulation Use in Nursing Education

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Role:

Primary Investigator

Date:

2005-2007

Funding:

• Drug Strategy Community Initiatives Fund (DSCIF) ($232,809)

Scholarly Work:

Evaluation of the Spark Health Promotion Web Site
Tailoring Online Health Promotion: A Toolkit for Communities
Tailoring Online Health Promotion: A Toolkit for Communities

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Role:

Co-Primary Investigator

Date:

2004-2006

Funding:

• Centre for Leadership and Learning ($7,180)
• McMaster University, Learning Technology Resources Centre (name changed to McMaster Institute for Innovation & Excellence in Teaching & Learning) ($3,000)
• McMaster University, Faculty of Health Sciences Educational Services ($3,000)

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Role:

Co-Investigator

Date:

2004-2006

Funding:

• Canadian Health Services Research Foundation (CHSRF) (name changed to CFHI in 2012) ($60,000)

Scholarly Work:

Using an Integrated Knowledge Translation Approach to Build a Public Health Research Agenda
Fostering Interactions: The networking needs of community health nursing researchers and decision makers

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Role:

Co-Investigator

Date:

2006-2006

Funding:

• Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) ($15,590)

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Role:

Co-Investigator

Date:

2005-2006

Funding:

• Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN) ()
• Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) ()

Scholarly Work:

Preparing the Community Health Nursing Workforce: Internal and External Enablers and Challenges Influencing Undergraduate Nursing Programs in Canada

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Role:

Co-Investigator

Date:

2004-2004

Funding:

• Ontario Women's Directorate ($150,000)

This is a pragmatic effectiveness-implementation trial to evaluate a hospital-to-home transitional care intervention compared to usual care for older adults with multiple chronic conditions and depression. The aim of this study is to determine the effects and costs of a hospital-to-home support program for older adults with depression and multiple chronic conditions. The overall goal is to improve health outcomes in older adults with depression and other health problems, by improving patients’ self-management ability, supporting families and caregivers, and building capacity for primary care and other health and non-health providers to collaborate in delivering home and community services to the target population. Community forums will be held in each participating area to engage stakeholders, learn about existing transitional care initiatives that can be built upon, and establish local Community Advisory Boards as well as a study-wide Steering Committee and Patient and Caregiver Advisory Group. Through these groups, patients, caregivers, providers and researchers will work side-by-side to design and test the program in diverse settings to inform rapid scale-up across Ontario. CO-PIs are Dr. Maureen Markle-Reid and Dr. Carrie McAiney.

Role:

Co-Investigator

Date:

Feb. 1, 2016- Sept. 30, 2016

Funding:

• SPOR Support Unit ($1,000,000)

More Information:

Learn more about the study