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A Framework for Research Training in Communities. Dr. Jim Frankish UBC Institute of Health Promotion Research. Contact The Institute of Health Promotion Research The University of British Columbia #414 – 2206 East Mall, LPC Building Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3 Fax: (604) 822-9210 email:
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A Framework for Research Training in Communities Dr. Jim Frankish UBC Institute of Health Promotion Research
Contact The Institute of Health Promotion Research The University of British Columbia #414 – 2206 East Mall, LPC Building Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3 Fax: (604) 822-9210 email: pchr@interchange.ubc.ca
PCHR Mission Statement PCHR offers training opportunities in transdisciplinary, community-based health research. Our mission is to develop creative ways for academic andu community learners to effectively integrate research with policy and practice. Our priorities include: • improving health systems, by developing • innovative management strategies • powerful preventive-care interventions • enhanced health-care services • enabling evidence-based decisions • promoting a greater focus on determinants of health and reducing health disparities • creating healthy workplaces
The Revolution in Healthcare • Driving reform and redesign of health system • Creating new research challenges: • accountability • evidence • key health determinants • recruitment and retention • PCHR offers the potential for collaborative, efficient and seamless solutions
Partnership,an Opportunity To: • Generate solutions to immediate problems • Train employees in specialized research methods • Build teams and capacity • Translate research into practice • Train and recruit future employees
About PCHR • Six year research training program • Funded by CIHR and MSFHR • To foster links between research, policy and practice Organized around:
Clusters • Health Services • Vulnerable Populations • Workplace Health Working groups of learners & mentors with a shared commitment to community partnership research, focusing on three overarching themes:
Cluster-Based Learning Innovative solution focused approach to adult education. • Clusters solve specific real world health service research problems • Groups collaborate to define problems and generate feasible solutions • Clusters will be brought together to collaborate for cross-cluster learning, such as specific training workshops (e.g. statistics, program evaluation etc.)
Partnering in Community Health Research (PCHR) is an innovative trans-disciplinary training program in its fourth year. • Program participants • learn research skills required to resolve real health system problems. • include approx. 20 graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, community learners, academic and community mentors with a range of disciplines and professions. • At least 8/20 participants have been VCH employees. • PCHR: • Fosters research targeted at local health needs; • Strengthens linkages between research and policy and/or practice; • Promotes interdisciplinary health research. Mentors Academic mentors: affiliated with a post-secondary institution Community mentors: from community-based, mainly health institutions. Mentors: Research Clusters • Provide guidance to learning; • Assist in navigating the systems of partnering organizations; and • Provide networking opportunities to learners and other mentors. Learners and mentors, from both academia and the health, work in partnership to address real research priorities: • Community Health Services Research: primary health care renewal, with a focus on chronic disease management- this year among shelter and food service providers • Vulnerable Populations Research: health literacy, evaluation of a health promotion comic book and local community capacity building • Workplace Health Research: developing and evaluating interventions to reduce injuries in healthcare organizations; processes R.N.s in acute care setting use when addressing aggression and violence. Cross-Cluster Learning Events • Bring learners together to work through common issues • Provide a venue to learn from each other. Events include • Learner and mentor orientations; • Workshops and skill-building sessions; and • A year-end presentation day. Individual Benefits & Costs to VCH Staff Both personal and career benefits: • new knowledge • breadth of experience and learning • new relationships and networking with people- academics, VCH mentors, and especially cluster members (from so many walks of life) Downside: Time commitment- ‘but it was still worth it’ Cluster-Based Learning • Community-based learning environments; • Shared learning among diverse members; and • Project-based teamwork on actual community research priorities. Clusters provide: • Fertile collaborative learning environments; • Problem-based learning; and • Research that meets a health system need. www.pchr.net
Current Realities • Limited time commitments • Different schedules • Competing priorities • Geographic spread • Different interests • Inadequate structure for involving mentors