Advancing Knowledge Translation in Health Research: A National Perspective

1. Knowledge Translation:A View from a National Policy PerspectiveKU-02 ConferenceOxford, EnglandJuly 2, 2002

2. CIHR Mandate CIHR is Canada's major federal funding agency for health research. Its objective is to excel, according to internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians, more effective health services and products and a strengthened Canadian health care system.

3. CIHR Mandate Priority Research Knowledge Translation Foundation of Research Improved health for Canadians More effective health services and products Strengthened Canadian health care system

4. CIHR Foundation Research Researchers

5. CIHR CIHR Priority Research Researchers

6. Draft Definition Knowledge Translation is defined as the exchange, synthesis and ethically-sound application of knowledge within a complex system of relationships among researchers and users.

7. Decisions That Affect Health Decisions of Individual Canadians Best Available Evidence Health of Canadians Other domains of public policy Other products and services Health Care System Health Services & Products Public Policy Decisions Private Sector Decisions

8. Research Cycle Publications KT4 KT1 KT2 Researchers +Knowledge Users Researcher Global Knowledge Questions & Methods Research Findings KT3 KT6 Contextualization of Knowledge Impacts Application of Knowledge KT5

9. KT in the Research Cycle KT1: Defining research questions and methodologies KT2: Conducting research KT3: Situating research findings within the context of other knowledge and socio-cultural norms KT4: Publishing research findings in plain language and accessible formats KT5: Applying knowledge KT6: Influencing subsequent rounds of research based on the impact of knowledge use

10. Knowledge Uses • Research • within and across all research disciplines contributing to knowledge about health • Policy Making, Planning and Administration • across all portfolios of public policy and throughout the health care system • Health Care Provision • in both the formal and informal systems of care • Maintenance and improvement of personal health • including actions intended to influence or represent the views of individual Canadians through, for example: Voluntarism, Education, Communications, Advocacy • Commercialization • by, for example, venture capital firms, pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, biotech companies, medical service sector, retailers and distributors.

11. CIHR KT Cube Research Policy making, Planning and Administration Health Care Provision Uses of Health Knowledge KT6 KT5 Maintenance and Improvement of Personal Health KT4 KT3 Stage of Research Cycle Commercialization KT2 KT1 1 2 3 4 Research Pillars Sources of Knowledge

12. KT Activities to Date • Scholarships to support science writer training • Support for training programs: • National training centre in Edmonton • Training Program grants • Support for research through the RFA: “Strategies for Knowledge Translation in Health” • Support for a traveling museum exhibit on genomics.

13. KT Activities at CIHR • Strengthening the KT Community • Building KT Capacity • Advancing KT in Research • Providing CIHR Leadership in KT

14. KT Activities at CIHR • Strengthening the KT Community: • Promoting knowledge exchange, networking and partnerships on health-related KT • Creating and sharing electronic resources of value to the health KT community in Canada and abroad • Assessing needs and gaps and developing partnerships and programs to meet them • Raising awareness of KT and promoting a shared language and understanding across all aspects of health-related KT

15. KT Activities at CIHR • 2. Building KT Capacity: • Reasoned advocacy encouraging Canadian institutions to create environments and infrastructure conducive to health-related KT • Support for KT Training Centres and individual trainees in KT Research • Offer incentives to encourage integration of KT training into training programs for health researchers and health practitioners • (continued)

16. KT Activities at CIHR • 2. Building KT Capacity (continued): • Support for professional exchanges among different types of participants in health-related KT • Offer incentives to build capacity in plain language communication of health-related knowledge (e.g. Scholarships for science writers)

17. KT Activities at CIHR • 3. Advancing KT in Research: • Support research into KT itself • Support KT as an integral part of all CIHR-funded research • Contribute to the development of innovative KT approaches by working with partners to support rigorous evaluation of selected pilot KT projects • Support emerging research needs (e.g. possible KT Centres of Excellence) • (continued)

18. KT Activities at CIHR • 3. Advancing KT in Research (continued): • Introduce new programs to • (a) encourage knowledge exchange at the stage of definition of research questions and methodology • (b) catalyse partnerships to support the contextualization of health knowledge • (c) stimulate partnerships to develop and evaluate strategies for accelerating uptake and application of health-related knowledge.

19. KT Activities at CIHR • Providing CIHR leadership in KT: • Developing expertise in health-related KT • Leading in the development of a KT Framework and strategic plan in collaboration with CIHR Institutes and Branches • Facilitating synergy and integration across CIHR Institute KT strategies • Evaluating the effectiveness of CIHR’s initiatives in health-related KT as a basis for ongoing improvement