Developing a Research Agenda for Public Health Services in Canada Marjorie MacDonald, Trevor Hancock, Gilles Paradis, Anita Kothari

Funders Canadian Institutes of Health Research Ontario Agency for Health Promotion and Protection BC Centre for Disease Control Public Health Agency of Canada CIHR Applied Public Health Chair Awards to MacDonald and Paradis University of Western Ontario

Background A series of PH Emergencies in Canada (SARS, tainted blood scandal, Walkerton water contamination) Dessimated Public Health Infrastructure Need identified to define Core Functions of PH Need to renew and reform PH Systems Renewal process initiated across the country

Background Core Functions Framework developed in BC Interdisciplinary team of researchers and decision makers created with infrastructure funding Think Tank held to develop PHSR priorities Leveraged $3M for research Challenges in convincing funders to support PHSR – falls through funding agency cracks

System Capacity/Infrastructure Legislation, funding, education and training, information systems, research, planning, performance management etc

Purpose of Project To expand PHSR agenda to national level To identify PHSR research priorities in Canada Establish consensus on agenda Develop a strategic plan to advance the agenda Develop a national network of PHSR researchers, practitioners and decision makers

Plan National Think Tank in May 2011 Funded by CIHR Broad range of Canadian participants International experts in PHSR – US and UK Preparatory work – a comprehensive literature review and “brainstorming survey”

Purpose of Presentation To present preliminary findings of literature search and survey To compare PHSR priorities across 5 countries based on literature

Literature Review Purpose 1.Identify work being done to define PHSR, scope, potential, benefits 2.Nature of PHSR being done in Canada 3.Identify PHSR priorities in the 5 countries under review (Can, US, UK, NZ, Aus)

Review Methods Comprehensive search strategy using keyword searches in major databases, hand searching relevant journals, gray literature internet searches, key website searchers, reference lists of key articles 1000 articles identified, coded, and abstracted

Article Types TYPE Empirical Theoretical Review Opinion/Editorial Report TOTAL Can US UK NZ Aus

PHSR Priorities Priority Partnerships PH Infrastructure EB Practice Policy/Legislation Health Disparities Ph Workforce PH Performance Core Functions Can US UK NZ Aus

Brainstorming Survey Developed brief 10 minute online survey based on priorities identified in preliminary literature review Not intended to be a population-based representative sample Distributed widely through a variety of public health listserves across the country N=338

Respondent Position

Work Level

Familiarity with Concept PH Systems/services PH Research PH Systems/services research Mean Min Max St. Dev

Familiarity with PHSSR by Employment Category Academics Practitioners Managers/Admin Policy Makers Policy Analysts Consultant Other Mean Min Max St. Dev

PHSR Priorities

Priorities by Job Category Academics Priority % EB Practice 30.7 PH Performance 30.7 Health Disparities 30.7 PH Infrastructure 24.9 Partnerships 20.5 Practitioners Priority % EB practice 35.5 PH Performance 28.3 PH Infrastructure 27.5 Core Functions 21.7 PH Workforce 16.7

Priorities by Job Category Managers/Admin Priority % PH Performance 35.7 PH Infrastructure 29.6 Core Functions 24.5 EB Practice 22.4 Health Disparities 19.4 Policy Makers Priority % EB practice 35.3 PH Performance 31.4 PH Infrastructure 23.5 Core Functions 23.5 PH Workforce 19.6

Priorities by Job Category Policy Analysts Priority % Health Disparities 30.0 EB Practice 26.0 Core Functions 22.0 Partnerships 22.0 Policy/Legislative 22.0 Development Consultants Priority % Health Disparities 30.4 Assess/Surveillance 25.0 EB Practice 23.2 PH Infrastructure 21.4 Partnerships 21.4

Next Steps Complete literature synthesis Hold National Think Tank, Montreal May 2011 Hold workshop at CPHA conference in June to engage a broader audience and expand our fledgling network Report preliminary agenda to Canadian PH community and seek feedback/confirmation Work with funders to develop strategic RFPs for PHSR research