Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health (IHDCYH)
In partnership with
World Health Organization (WHO)
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)
| Important Dates | |
| Opportunity Launched | June 2006 |
| Content Last Updated | (No updates since launch) |
| August 1, 2006 | Registration Deadline - Registration packages must be courier stamped by this date. |
| October 2, 2006 | Full applications must be courier stamped by this date. |
| December 1, 2006 | Anticipated notification of decision. |
| January 5, 2007 | Anticipated start date. |
| Additional Information | Investigators are encouraged to form one group and submit one application. For more information on the WHO study protocol review the website. |
| Funds Available | |
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CIHR's contribution to the amount available for this initiative is subject to availability of funds voted annually to CIHR by parliamentary appropriations, and the conditions that may be attached to them.
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| Summary | |
| Part of IHDCYH's mandate is to promote research that addresses the causes, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of health concerns associated with maternal health, early development and childhood. The purpose of this Request for Applications is to further strengthen our knowledge on the relationships between Canadian maternity hospital characteristics and mode of delivery, and between mode of delivery, intrapartum and neonatal care and maternal and perinatal health outcomes in Canada. This knowledge will be created through a multidisciplinary Canadian participation in the WHO Global Survey of Maternal and Perinatal Health. It is expected that the research results will inform decision-making by health care providers, health policy makers, women and their families. | |
Cesarean delivery (CD) is on the rise in most high-income countries and in many low- and middle-income countries as well. The most recent data for Canada suggest that approximately 26% of all births in 2004 were delivered by cesarean section. The reasons for this rise are unclear, although the older age distribution of the child-bearing population and increasing maternal obesity likely play a role. Of concern is the suspected but undocumented rise of elective CD for maternal request ("on demand"), a trend that may be aided and abetted by the media's airing of pro-CD views of well-known entertainment and sports personalities and by support from medical professionals. CD rates are known to vary widely among countries, however, and even among health care institutions within the same country. Scandinavian countries, for example, have not experienced the same epidemic rise in CD as most other high-income countries. The reasons for the wide variations in CD rates among countries and institutions remain unclear, as do the consequences of those variations for maternal, fetal, and neonatal health. Recent Canadian data suggesting that low-risk elective CD may be associated with increased risks of serious maternal morbidity lend urgency to the need to better understand the determinants and consequences of the CD epidemic.
WHO aims to create a global data system on maternal and perinatal health services and maternal and perinatal outcomes. This system will periodically conduct short, simple studies of topics recognized as priorities worldwide. This aim will be accomplished by creating a network of randomly selected institutions and their corresponding geographic areas to collect focused information on maternal and perinatal health. In particular, specific studies will be conducted biennially that address prioritized health problems. Data will be used to assess maternal, fetal, and neonatal morbidity and mortality, describe health services, monitor the delivery of interventions, evaluate programs, and identify trends in technology use, as well as to enhance research capacity in this domain. The first survey is being performed in 54 selected countries. Health facilities (public and private) with delivery capabilities have been selected using a stratified multi-stage cluster sampling design. Subsequently, randomized controlled trials will also be implemented within selected network institutions to evaluate therapeutic interventions identified from the surveys. Variations in interventions and outcomes will be identified and operational research will be planned accordingly.
The advantages for Canada of joining this study are numerous. Canada will be the first high-income country to join the study and has much to gain from comparisons with other participating countries with respect to maternal and infant health and health services in Canada and globally.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is the United Nations specialized agency for health. WHO's objective is the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health. Health is defined in WHO's Constitution as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. WHO is governed by 192 Member States through the World Health Assembly which is composed of representatives from WHO's Member States.
The Maternal and Perinatal Health Research Unit of the World Health Organization is uniquely placed to contribute to the global research efforts in the area of Maternal and Perinatal health. By supporting basic, clinical, epidemiological, social science and operations research it augments the evidence base in the area of Maternal and Neonatal health practices and service delivery. In addition, it strengthens and builds capacity of countries not only to carry out research that responds to national and global priorities but also to translate the results of that research into effective and locally appropriate programs.
One such research effort is the WHO Global Survey on Maternal and Perinatal Health which will provide results that will have direct applications to improve maternal and perinatal health, health care services as well as provide a systematic approach to monitoring maternal and perinatal health care worldwide. Large capacity building effort in maternal and perinatal health data collection and data management will be provided to selected countries and sub-regions expecting a long-lasting and its sustainable effect.
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is pleased to be a partner with CIHR to support Canadian participation in the WHO Global Survey of Mode of Delivery and Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes. The mission of the Public Health Agency of Canada is to promote and protect the health of Canadians through leadership, partnership, innovation and action in public health. Focused on more effective efforts to prevent chronic diseases, prevent injuries and respond to public health emergencies and infectious disease outbreaks, the Agency works closely with provinces and territories to keep Canadians healthy and help reduce pressures on the health care system. Participation in international collaborative efforts to enhance global public health is a key aspect of the Agency's work.
PHAC will collaborate with CIHR in support of the Global Survey through the Canadian Perinatal Surveillance System (CPSS), which is a national program of surveillance of the health of pregnant women, mothers and infants.
The Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health is dedicated to identifying and developing collaborations with other CIHR institute(s), branch(es) or office(s), funding organizations and stakeholders to enhance the availability of funding for this strategic initiative, and to create, where appropriate, opportunities for knowledge exchange and translation related to the scope of this particular initiative. Applicants are invited to visit the Descriptions of Partners to find a list of partners and their respective mandates and/or strategic interests. This list will continue to evolve as new partners join in this initiative. The specific research foci and requirements for each partner are outlined in the section "Objectives".
The specific objectives of this initiative are:
Secondary objective:
Relevant Research Areas:
Relevant research areas include:
Eligibility criteria for all CIHR research funding programs apply. The business office of the institution of an eligible Nominated Principal Applicant generally administers CIHR funds. Please refer to the Eligibility Requirements for CIHR Grants and Awards regarding the eligibility requirements for individuals and institutions.
Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) will not be considered under this RFA.
Specific Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility requirements specific to this Request for Applications include the following:
Development funds (up to $10,000) from the Institute support grant will be available at the registration stage to help investigators prepare the full application. After confirmation of your registration, please send an email to IHDCYH at adesfaits@cihr-irsc.gc.ca ) asking for a development grant along with a detailed budget.
Applicants should review the Tri-Agency (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC) financial administration guidelines Use of Grant Funds for a complete listing and description of allowable costs and activities.
The full application must provide a detailed justification of all costs.
In addition, the following expenditures will be considered eligible for funding received through this Request for Applications:
A CIHR peer review committee will evaluate the full applications. The committee may be drawn from one of CIHR's pre-existing committees or may be created specifically for this Request for Applications. Committee members are selected based on suggestions from many sources including the institute(s) / portfolio(s) and partner(s), following CIHR's Policy on Confidentiality, Conflict of Interest and Privacy Issues in Peer and Relevance Review (CCIP). For information on CIHR's peer review process in general, see Peer Review.
Peer review will be conducted in accordance with The CIHR Peer Review Process: Policies and Responsibilities of Grants Committee Members, including the standard evaluation criteria described under "Factors for Assessment" (section 6.2).
The peer review panel will be composed mostly of experts from abroad. CIHR staff will determine if an interview with the principal investigator is necessary.
In addition, the following evaluation criteria specific to this Request for Applications will apply. CIHR recognizes that applications will emphasize different approaches to research and to knowledge translation, therefore reviewers and committees are expected to weight criteria such as these differently from one application to another.
Review criteria:
This Request for Applications will follow the General Guidelines for Grant Programs. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate the use of gender and sex-based analysis in applications.
All conditions specified in CIHR General Grants and Awards Policies shall apply to applications funded through this Request for Applications. Conditions cover areas such as Applicant and Institutional Responsibilities, Ethics, Official language policy, Access to Information and Privacy Acts, and Acknowledgement of CIHR Support. Successful applicants will be informed of any special financial conditions prior to the release of funds or when they receive CIHR's Authorization for Funding (AFF) document.
Within six months after the end of the grant's term, the Nominated Principal Applicant is required to submit a final performance report, summarizing the results and describing how the grant funds were used. A standard form will be provided by CIHR.
Access to Information Act and Privacy Act, and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)
All personal information collected by CIHR about applicants is used to review applications, to recruit reviewers, to administer and monitor grants and awards, to compile statistics, and to promote and support health research in Canada. Consistent with these purposes, applicants should also expect that information collected by CIHR may be shared as described in Use and Disclosure of Personal Information Provided to CIHR for Peer Review.
CIHR as a federal entity is subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act, therefore the requirements of these two statutes will apply to all information located in CIHR's premises including, without limitation, cost-sharing agreements related to this Request for Applications and all matters pertaining thereto.
While respecting the application of the Privacy Act to federal entities, all signing parties involved in a collaborative agreement will also be bound by the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). All personal information (as identified by the PIPEDA) collected, used or disclosed in the course of any commercial activity under collaborative agreements related to the Request for Applications will be collected, used and disclosed in compliance with the PIPEDA.
Grant recipients are required to acknowledge CIHR, its institutes and partners in any communication or publication related to the project. See CIHR General Grants and Awards Policies, Acknowledgement of CIHR's Support for details on CIHR's communication requirements. The contributing institutes / partners will be identified on the Authorization for Funding and decision letter.
CIHR is committed to demonstrating results to Canadians for the money invested in health research. Therefore, processes for monitoring progress and appropriate use of funds, as well as for performance measurement and program evaluation are in place. As a result, funding recipients must:
The following table is intended to further clarify objectives by linking them to expected outcomes and measures which will be included in CIHR's Management Resources and Results Structure (MRRS) required by Treasury Board.
| Objective | Outcome | Measure / Indicator |
| To study the relationship between mode of delivery, intrapartum and neonatal care and maternal and perinatal health outcomes in Canada. To examine the relationship between institutional and individual-level characteristics and variations in mode of delivery and maternal and perinatal outcomes in Canada. |
Generate knowledge that will inform decision-making by health care providers, health policy makers and women and their families. | Peer-reviewed scientific publications. Meetings with clinical societies to update guidelines, and with provincial and federal Ministries of Health to produce reports for these organizations. Generate confidential province- and institution-specific reports for quality improvement. |
| Enhance research capacity in maternal and child health services and population health. | MSc and PhD students supported in these domains. Evidence of successful post-studentship career trajectory in these domains. | |
| Enhance perinatal data collection, standardisation, and sharing within and among reproductive care programs and provinces and territories. | Reports of data quality audits and standardisation of data collection items. | |
| Participate in the WHO survey to enable comparisons between Canada and other countries participating in the survey. |
Involvement of Canadian investigators with WHO and other international collaborators in the WHO study. | Co-authorship on publications emanating from international comparisons in WHO study. Evidence of participation in planning for future observational studies and randomized trials. Evidence of input to development/revision of WHO guidelines for maternal and newborn care services. |
Review the application instructions provided in How to Apply for Funding.
Select "Operating Grants" (Registration and Application) from the Grant Programs Application Packages.
Additional instructions must be followed for this RFA:
Send the completed registration and application packages by courier to:
RE: "Survey of Mode of Delivery and Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes"
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Room 97, 160 Elgin Street
Address locator: 4809A
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0W9
For questions on CIHR funding guidelines, how to apply, and the peer review process contact:
Erika Levis
Program Delivery Coordinator
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: (613) 954-6000
Fax: (613) 954-1800
Email: elevis@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
For questions about this initiative and research objectives contact:
Louise Poulin
Assistant Director, Partnerships
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: (613) 941-0946
Fax: (613) 954-1800
Email: lpoulin@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
Note: Additional partners, including partners from industry and the private sector are expected to join this funding initiative over the coming year.
