Health Promotion - Research

Developing an agenda of research priorities in order to build capacity to conduct research in natural health products and complementary and alternative health care (CAHC) has been an important focus during the consultation process over the past two years. Assessing Research Literacy in Complementary and Alternative Health Care Products and Practice: An Invitational Roundtable identifies high-priority needs. Reviewing and Assessing the Role of the Natural Health Products Directorate in Research: An Invitational Roundtable reviews the Natural Health Products Directorate's research accomplishments and suggests future directions. The area of knowledge transfer and research to facilitate the flow of information is discussed in Getting the Right Knowledge to the Right People at the Right Time: An Invitational Roundtable on Knowledge Transfer. The manner in which various Health Canada invitational roundtables have addressed the development of research networks to support knowledge transfer and research capacity is summarized in Building Complementary and Alternative Health Care and Natural Health Products Research Networks: A Discussion Paper. The report, Needs Assessment: Research Literacy and Capacity Amongst Complementary and Alternative Health Care Providers explores research training, literacy and capacity of CAHC practitioners. The document also identifies needs in this area and recommends strategies for moving forward.

Assessing Research Literacy in Complementary and Alternative Health Care Products and Practice: An Invitational Roundtable

Report prepared by Heather Boon, BSCPhm, PhD

Several initiatives in the areas of research, natural health products (NHPs) and complementary and alternative health care (CAHC) have identified a lack of research literacy and capacity as a key barrier to CAHC and NHP research. This report details the efforts of a Health Canada roundtable convened in August 2001 to address this challenge by identifying and prioritizing CAHC and NHP research infrastructure and training needs, and by identifying strategies for meeting high-priority needs.

Report (including the Executive Summary)

Reviewing and Assessing the Role of the Natural Health Products Directorate in Research: An Invitational Roundtable

Report prepared by Dennis Patrick O'Hara, DC, ND, PhD

As the Natural Health Products Directorate (NHPD) continues with its mandate "to ensure that all Canadians have ready access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while respecting freedom of choice and philosophical and cultural diversity," it periodically brings together various stakeholders in the complementary and alternative health care (CAHC) community to review the current work of the NHPD and to seek constructive input. This report details the discussions held at a roundtable in October 2001 concerning the NHPD's accomplishments to date in the area of research. It also presents the suggestions for future directions provided by the diverse cross-section of stakeholders who participated in this forum.

Report (including the Executive Summary)

Getting the Right Knowledge to the Right People at the Right Time - An Invitational Roundtable on Knowledge Transfer

Report prepared by Margaret Sampson

This report details the proceedings of a roundtable convened by Health Canada in February 2002 to discuss knowledge transfer challenges and opportunities associated with healthcare providers, policy makers and the public. The report explores the relevance of knowledge transfer to natural health products (NHPs) and the Natural Health Products Directorate, opportunities for using knowledge transfer strategies to enhance the flow of evidence-based information about NHPs, and strategies for facilitating high-quality research in the area of knowledge transfer and NHPs.

Report (including the Executive Summary)

Building Complementary and Alternative Health Care and Natural Health Products Research Networks: A Discussion Paper

Report prepared by Marja J. Verhoef, PhD and JJ Jansen, RN, MPH

The importance of complementary and alternative health care (CAHC) and natural health products (NHP) research has been one of the key topics discussed in recent workshops and roundtables supported by the Natural Health Products Directorate and the Health Human Resource Strategies Division of Health Canada. The need to develop networks to create and transfer knowledge, and to encourage research uptake and build research capacity, has been identified as important to the development of research in CAHC and NHPs. This report reviews the summary reports from recent workshops and roundtables convened or sponsored by Health Canada to assess how they addressed the issue of networking.

Report (including the Executive Summary)

Needs Assessment: Research Literacy and Capacity Amongst Complementary and Alternative Health Care Providers

Report prepared by:
Janet Williams, Project Co-ordinator, Tzu Chi Institute
Andrea Mulkins, Research Associate, Tzu Chi Institute
Marja Verhoef, Senior Researcher, Tzu Chi Institute
Debbie Monkman, Manager, Information Resources/Services, Tzu Chi Institute
Barb Findlay, Executive Director, Tzu Chi Institute

The need to conduct a needs assessment/environmental scan of research literacy and capacity needs amongst complementary and alternative health care practitioners (CAHCs) was a key recommendation arising from the Health Canada Invitational Roundtable on Assessing Research Literacy in Complementary and Alternative Health Care Products and Practice (August 2001). This report details the findings of a needs assessment/environmental scan conducted in early 2002 in response to this recommendation. It includes an examination of research training, research literacy and capacity in CAHC practice, as well as long-term needs, and makes recommendations for moving forward in these areas.

Report (including the Executive Summary)