The Centre for Health and Community Research (CHCR

The Centre for Health and Community Research (CHCR)

By Dr. Amanda Brazil, Mary-Ann McSwain, Matthew Munro

The Centre for Health and Community Research (CHCR) at UPEI is a collaborative research centre located in Don and Marion McDougall Hall. The CHCR conducts a varied program of research related to the health, safety, wellbeing, and resilience of Islanders and their communities. More information can be found at https:// chcresearch.ca/.

Maritime Strategy for Patient Oriented Research (SPOR) SUPPORT Unit The CHCR houses the PEI node of the Maritime SPOR SUPPORT Unit (MSSU), an initiative aiming to support improvements in healthcare delivery and healthcare policy making through patient oriented research. Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the PEI Department of Health and Wellness, the CHCR is currently conducting research in several important areas: • An in-depth study examining the drivers of high cost healthcare use in Prince Edward Island. A preliminary study by the CHCR in 2016 revealed that just five per cent of the population in PEI accounted for almost three-quarters of healthcare expenditures . The in-depth follow-up study is being conducted to better understand this population of high resource patients to identify key actionable areas for change to help improve the delivery of care and health outcomes for these patients. • In partnership with PEI Department of Health and Wellness, the CHCR is set to launch a telephone survey aimed at determining the prevalence and correlates of problem gambling in Prince Edward Island. • The CHCR is currently also working with stakeholders in the healthcare system to provide evaluation services for the Mobile Integrated Health Initiative. SPOR Canadian Data Platform The CHCR is pleased to be a part of a seven-year CIHR funded initiative aimed at assisting researchers in accessing administrative health data for multi-jurisdictional studies. The Secure Island Data Repository (SIDR), developed and managed by the CHCR in partnership with UPEI’s IT Systems and Services, Research Services, and Robertson Library, has joined a pan-Canadian network of research data repositories. This network will collaborate to provide streamlined access to data for researchers, and develop standardized algorithms and case definitions for measures of healthcare utilization and conditions, among other initiatives. For more information about SIDR or to learn how we can support your research, please contact Mary-Ann MacSwain, CHCR Research Manager at mmmacswain@upei.ca. CBT4CBT Phase II Computer-Based Training for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT4CBT), developed by Dr. Kathleen Carroll at the Yale School of Medicine, is an innovative online program that teaches cognitive behavioural therapy for individuals struggling with alcohol and drug abuse. The PEI CBT4CBT project, funded by the eHealth Innovations Partnership Program, was piloted in sites across PEI in Phase I. Now in Phase II of the partnership, the CHCR team will evaluate the implementation of the program both on PEI and across the country and will work with stakeholders and CBT4CBT users to identify if and how the program can be adapted to better address the needs of youth. MacSwain, M.A., Patterson, M., Kephart, G. & Krause, J. (2016). Examining the Drivers of High Cost Healthcare Usage in Prince Edward Island. Available at https://tinyurl. com/high-cost-healthcare

Matthew Munro joins the team as a Research Coordinator working across several projects including the evaluation of the CBT4CBT program, studying high-cost healthcare use in PEI, and the evaluation of the provincial Mobile Integrated Health program. He holds a Master of Applied Health Services Research from UPEI (2017) and has worked in various research roles on campus.

New staff joins CHCR

Dr. Amanda Brazil is CHCR’s Research Scientist. A University of Prince Edward Island PhD graduate and social science researcher, she is currently leading Phase II of the CBT4CBT project and is part of the MSSU team. Amanda came to CHCR from the Canadian Mental Health Association – PEI Division where she was the Director of Programs and Policy. She has extensive experience in mental health, addictions, and correctional research, and has worked for the research branch of Correctional Service Canada as a project manager of research at the Addictions Research Centre.