Skip to main content
Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique logoLink to Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique
. 2006 Sep 1;97(Suppl 3):S27–S36. doi: 10.1007/BF03405394

Needs, Gaps and Opportunities for Infectious Disease Research in British Columbia: A Perspective from Population and Public Health

La recherche sur les maladies infectieuses en Colombie-Britannique: Besoins, lacunes et occasions dans l’optique de la santé publique et de la santé des populations

David M Patrick 14,, Valencia P Remple 24, Perry Kendall 34, Robert C Brunham 14
PMCID: PMC6975993

Abstract

Background

A review of infectious disease research activity and capacity was performed in British Columbia and linked to a process for identifying needs, gaps and opportunities from a public health perspective.

Methods

The study was organized in three phases: an environmental scan to describe current research activity in BC; a consultation to identify needs, gaps and opportunities with those conducting research (key informants) and the end users of research results (stakeholders); and a prioritization of the research needs emerging from the consultation.

Results

Analysis and synthesis of the consultation data resulted in the identification of nine research themes, which were prioritized in the following order: efficacy and cost-benefit, disease patterns, emerging infectious disease, immunology and vaccines, disease-specific research, health promotion and communications, safe food and water, knowledge translation research and genomics. Six capacity-building themes were also identified: attraction and retention, education and training, collaboration and networks, funding, dissemination of findings, and public health input, surveillance, informatics and databases.

Interpretation

The findings were helpful in developing a multi-disciplinary, multi-level infectious disease research agenda linking researchers in universities, hospitals and public health institutions with practitioners and policy-makers in British Columbia’s public health system. The approach is both feasible and important to undertake at the national level.

Electronic Supplementary Material

Supplementary material is available for this article at 10.1007/BF03405394 and is accessible for authorized users.

MeSH terms: Communicable diseases, emerging, biology, ecology, public health, research, prevention and control, immunization, epidemiology, health resources, costs and cost analysis, economics

French language version/Version en Français

41997_2006_BF03405394_MOESM1_ESM.pdf (180.4KB, pdf)

La recherche sur les maladies infectieuses en Colombie-Britannique: Besoins, lacunes et occasions dans l’optique de la santé publique et de la santé des populations

Footnotes

Acknowledgements of sources of support: We acknowledge the Canadian Institutes of Health Research for providing funding to conduct this unique consultation. The research team would like to acknowledge those who worked on the project, in particular Carol-Ann Page, research consultant, project manager, interviewer; Jennifer Wile, Lisan Kwindt, and Susanne Nahm, research assistants; and Nancy Brown, draft report co-writer. The original NGOA Report can be found at: http://www.cdc.ubc.ca/AboutUs/Reports_PDF/NGOA%20Report.pdf

Correspondance et demande de réimpressions: Dr D. Patrick, Centre de lutte contre les maladies de la Colombie-Britannique, 655, 12e Avenue ouest, Vancouver C.-B. V5Z 4R4

Sources d’aide: Nous remercions les Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada de nous avoir fourni du financement pour réaliser cette consultation sans pareille. L’équipe de recherche remercie ceux qui ont travaillé au projet, et en particulier Carol-Ann Page, consultante en recherche, gestionnaire de projet, intervieweuse; Jennifer Wile, Lisan Kwindt et Susanne Nahm, attachées de recherche, et Nancy Brown, corédactrice du projet de rapport.

On trouve la version originale du rapport EBLO à: http://www.cdc.ubc.ca/AboutUs/Reports_PDF/NCOA%20Report.pdf

References

  • 1.Morse JM, Fields PA. Qualitative Research Methods for Health Professionals. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications; 1995. [Google Scholar]
  • 2.Lalonde M. Nouvelle perspective de la santé des Canadiens: Un document de travail. Ottawa: ministère des Approvisionnement et Services; 1974. [Google Scholar]
  • 3.Comité consultatif national sur le SRAS et la santé publique. Leçons de la crise du SRAS: Renouvellement de la santé publique au Canada. Ottawa: Santé Canada; 2003. [Google Scholar]
  • 4.Frank J, DiRuggiero E, Moloughney B. L’avenir de la santé publique au Canada: Édifier un système de santé publique pour le 21e siècle. Ottawa: Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada; 2003. [Google Scholar]
  • 5.Frank J, DiRuggiero E. Mapping and Tapping: The Wellsprings of Health, Lnstitute of Population and Public Health. Ottawa: Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada; 2002. [Google Scholar]
  • 6.Finlay BB, See RH, Brunham RC. Science and society — rapid response research to emerging infectious diseases: lessons from SRAS. Nat Rev Microbiol. 2004;2(7):602–607. doi: 10.1038/nrmicro930. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 7.Skowronski DM, Astell C, Brunham RC, Low DE, Petrie M, Roper R, et al. Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS): a year in review. Annu Rev Med. 2005;56:257–381. doi: 10.1146/annurev.med.56.091103.134135. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique are provided here courtesy of Springer

RESOURCES