Institute of Health Services and Policy Research
In partnership with the
Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health,
Institute of Population and Public Health
and the
Knowledge Translation Branch
The purpose of this Request for Applications (RFA) is to support health services and policy research in thematic areas identified as high priority in recent national consultations. More specifically, funded work will:
Identify the most important issues/sub-areas where additional research should be a priority, within the following areas (i.e. scoping reviews):
And/or
Complete a synthesis in a sub-area or sub-areas where sufficient research evidence already exists, that can be used by health care and public health policy-makers, administrators, managers and the research community to better understand the likely implications of competing policy or management options in one or more of the following areas (i.e. research synthesis):
| May 1, 2005 | Registration Deadline - Registration packages must be courier stamped by this date. |
| June 1, 2005 | Full applications must be courier stamped by this date. |
| January, 2006 | Anticipated Notification of decision. |
| March 2006 | Anticipated start date. |
| Duration of projects | Up to 1 year |
| Funds Available | For this initiative: $700,000 at a minimum. Per grant: $70,000 |
Summary
Background
Partners
Objectives and Eligible Research Areas
Funding Information
Eligibility
Evaluation Criteria and Process
General CIHR Guidelines and Conditions of Funding
Communications Requirements
Monitoring, Performance Measurement and Evaluation
How to Apply
Contact Information
Description of Partners
Each day thousands of health policy-makers and health care administrators make decisions that influence our health care system and the care received by individual Canadians. Health services and policy research has played an important role in past discussions, debate and decision-making, and will continue to do so in the current "evidence-informed decision-making" environment. While decision-making in health care is a complex process, research evidence has an important role to play. Therefore, it is important that decision-makers have available to them the best available evidence germane to the decisions they are expected to make.
In 2004, a national consultation exercise (Listening for Direction II) was undertaken by the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation, CIHR's Institute of Health Services and Policy Research (IHSPR), the Canadian Institute for Health Information, Canadian Coordinating Office for Health Technology Assessment, the Advisory Committee on Governance and Accountability of the Federal/ Provincial/ Territorial Conference of Deputy Ministers of Health, and the Health Statistics Division of Statistics Canada. Ten priority research themes and, for each theme, the identification of issues appropriate for short term (next six to 24 months) synthesis of existing research emerged from this process. More information on Listening for Direction II is available at: Listening for Direction
The purpose of this Request for Applications (RFA) is to generate relevant evidence to inform important decisions that will be taken by health care and public health policy makers and managers in Canada over the next few years, through: (a) scoping reviews that identify the most important issues or topics for primary research in four thematic areas identified in Listening for Direction II, and/or b) research syntheses that will enable health care and public health policy-makers, administrators, managers and the research community to better understand the state of evidence in six thematic areas identified in LfD II.
This RFA is not intended to fund the systematic reviews of evidence on the effectiveness or cost-effectiveness of specific new technologies or drugs (e.g. health technology assessment), nor is it intended to fund systematic reviews of research related to clinical interventions which focus on diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. Rather, the focus is on knowledge needed to inform policy and management decisions regarding the organization, financing, funding, regulation and other aspects of health systems, and the delivery of health care programs.
The science of synthesis is evolving. It is not surprising, therefore, that the terms used to describe the work envisioned (e.g. systematic review, meta-analysis), as well as the methods and results of such work, vary among individuals and organizations. Yet, the principles underpinning scoping reviews are simple: map the literature to clarify boundaries and definitions in the area, and to identify gaps in evidence where primary research is necessary and would be timely. Scoping reviews are intended to help the research community and research-funding organizations identify research priorities within priority thematic areas.
The principles underpinning research syntheses are also conceptually straightforward: "a specific and reproducible method is used to identify, select, and appraise all of the studies that meet minimum quality standards and are relevant to a particular question."1 The results of the studies are then analyzed and summarized while taking assessments of their quality into consideration. Research syntheses involve comprehensive reviews of evidence, and include reviews in areas where research exists across all types and quality of evidence, as well as reviews in areas where strong levels of evidence may not exist. In some areas, systematic reviews may be possible while in others there will be insufficient research evidence to make such reviews possible. Systematic reviews are one type of research synthesis, that have been defined as "a review of a clearly formulated question that uses systematic and explicit methods to identify, select and critically appraise relevant research, and to collect and analyse data from the studies that are included in the review. Statistical methods (meta-analysis) may or may not be used to analyse and summarise the results of the included studies".2 Over the last two decades, scientists have established a reasonable consensus regarding "best practice" for systematic reviews that inform clinical decision-making, as well as public policy-making regarding adoption, use and discontinuation of health technologies. These methods rely heavily on the use of hierarchies of levels of evidence and, in particular, favour evidence generated by randomized controlled trials.
But there is much less agreement on the best science for research syntheses related to the organization, financing, funding, regulation and delivery of health services, which is the focus of this RFA. Research evidence regarding health services and policies is not, in most instances, generated through randomized controlled trials. In such circumstances, research syntheses (and scoping reviews) must rely more heavily on non-experimental (e.g. secondary data) analyses and qualitative research. Quality research syntheses of relevance to population and public health policies, programs and practice share similar features. In these areas, evidence from observational and quasi-experimental designs is more often used to evaluate intervention effectiveness than evidence from randomized controlled trials.
Research is accumulating regarding best methods of conducting research syntheses across different types of research (i.e. qualitative and quantitative) and levels of evidence. In order to better understand the methods of research synthesis that address important health services and systems issues, CHSRF and England's Service Delivery and Organization Research and Development Programme (SDO) have recently undertaken joint commissioning of work in this area. Yet, it is clear that research syntheses developed in consultation with stakeholders, structured to meet the needs of policy-makers and managers, and disseminated using methods of communication intended to strengthen a knowledge base among target audiences, are useful to and used by policy and administrative communities. Syntheses are also useful to the research community in structuring accumulated knowledge in very specific thematic topics.
In June 2004, IHSPR and its partners posted an RFA to fund research syntheses in four of the 10 thematic areas identified in Listening for Direction II In August 2004, partners in Listening for Direction II met to identify organizational leads for all 10 thematic areas. These discussions continue. In September 2004, the Advisory Board for IHSPR made a series of decisions on IHSPR priorities, given the outcomes of the Listening for Direction II process and the partner discussions about organizational leads. The outcome of these deliberations is reflected in the identification of thematic areas prioritized in this RFA for scoping reviews and research syntheses.
The CIHR Institute of Health Services and Policy Research (IHSPR) 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 this initiative. The specific research foci and requirements for each partner are outlined in the section "Objectives and Eligible Research Areas."
The general objectives of this Scoping Review and Research Synthesis RFA are to:
This RFA is intended to fund scoping reviews and research syntheses in selected, high priority, eligible thematic research areas.
Eligible research areas for scoping reviews include:
Eligible research areas for research syntheses include:
Applicants should review Listening for Direction II for lists of examples of eligible research areas under each theme. These examples are not intended to be exhaustive, nor is there any intention to imply that applications focusing on these examples would be more successful than others.
* Listening for Direction II includes one theme on "sustainable funding and ethical resource allocation".
** Listening for Direction II includes one theme on "Linking public health to health services". Applicants interested in this thematic area can find background information and links to priorities identified in other national consultations, at the following web link: Linking public health to health services.
This RFA is funded as a strategic initiative and is designed to solicit scoping review and research synthesis grant applications with the duration of up to 1 year. The General Guidelines or All Research Grants apply.
Applicants should review Use of Grant Funds and Eligibility of Expenses, Employment under Grants within the General Guidelines for All Research Grants for a complete listing and description of allowable costs and activities.
The full application must provide a detailed justification of all costs.
Grants should not be used:
Allowable costs for Research Synthesis grants also 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.
Eligibility requirements specific to this Request for Applications include the following:
To be eligible for support, an application must include a clear, explicit, and manageable knowledge translation plan, which specifies the intended audience(s), the means of involvement and communication, and the intended post-grant follow-up (see below under "Evaluation Criteria." for more detail).
General criteria for assessing applications are listed below. It is understood that referees and committees will weigh questions such as these differently from one application to another.
Research Proposed:
The Knowledge Translation Plan will be evaluated based on the extent to which the proposal:
All personal information collected by CIHR about applicants is used to review applications, 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.
Prior to peer review, the appropriate CIHR institute, portfolio and partner representatives may first review proposals for relevance to their strategic interests. The relevance review will be based on the extent to which the proposed research relates to the mandates or strategic priorities of the Institutes, portfolios and partners. As such, representatives will have access to the anonymized project titles and summaries. This review will have no impact on the peer review process.
On completion of the review, the appropriate CIHR institute, portfolio and partner representatives will receive the ranking list, merit scores (ratings) and recommendations of the peer review committee with regards to funding level, for the submitted applications that fall in the fundable range.
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 Conflict of Interest, Confidentiality and Privacy Issues in Peer Review. For information on CIHR's peer review process, see Peer Review.
Access to Information Act and Privacy Act, and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)
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.
The Parties, while respecting the application of the Privacy Act to federal entities, will also be bound by the PIPEDA. All personal information (as identified by the PIPEDA) collected, used or disclosed in the course of any commercial activity under cost-sharing agreements related to the Request for Applications will be collected, used and disclosed in compliance with the PIPEDA.
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.
In addition to CIHR standard guidelines and requirements, the following special conditions shall apply:
Depending on the level of interest among funded applicants, CIHR plans to host at least one but not more than two meetings for successful applicants. One meeting would occur shortly after funding decisions are announced, to enable funded researchers to interact with others who have previously conducted scoping reviews or research syntheses. The second meeting would occur close to the completion of the grant terms to enable funded researchers to interact with one another and exchange information regarding experiences conducting scoping reviews and research syntheses. In combination, the purposes of both meetings are to enable the research community and CIHR to learn about best practices in conducting and commissioning scoping reviews and research syntheses regarding health services and policies. Investigators will be encouraged to attend one or both of these Ottawa-based meetings. CIHR will cover the meeting and travel expenses for one member of the research team to attend these meetings.
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.
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 |
| Make scoping reviews available to the health services and policy research community and research funding organizations to inform them of specific areas of priority for synthesis or primary research. |
Completion of scoping reviews in areas of high priority to health care policy makers and managers. Funded research informs future research agendas of CIHR and the health services and policy research community. |
Specific areas identified for future research funding or synthesis. Informs future research agendas of CIHR and the Canadian health services and policy research community. |
| Increase the number of research syntheses in areas of high priority to health system managers and policy makers in Canada. | Completion of new research syntheses in areas of high priority to health care policy makers and managers | Publication and presentation of new research syntheses funded through this initiative. |
| Increase the degree to which explicit communications and knowledge translation activities are undertaken to make research syntheses readily available for use by health system managers and policy makers in Canada to inform their decision-making processes. | Health system managers and policy makers are aware of research syntheses funded by this initiative | Funded applicants engage health system managers and policy makers in the design and interpretation of their synthesis |
| Syntheses, including plain language publications and presentations of research funded by this initiative in a form suitable for decision maker (and possibly public, where relevant) audiences. | ||
| Funded applicants make presentations of their results to users of research, above and beyond those engaged in the design and interpretation of their work. | ||
| Health system managers and policy makers use research syntheses funded by this initiative to inform their decision-making processes. | Funded applicants might identify managers and policy makers that have used their research syntheses to inform their decision-making processes. | |
| Increase the availability of research syntheses that can be readily used by health services and policy research community to inform their research agendas in areas of high priority to users of their research. | Funded research informs future research agendas of the health services and policy research community. | Peer reviewed publication and presentation of findings to the research community of research syntheses funded by this initiative. |
The application process is comprised of two steps: Registration and Full Application.
Review the application instructions provided in How to Apply for a Grant or Award.
Select Operating Grants (Registration and Application) from the Research Funding Programs Application Packages.
Additional instructions must be followed for this RFA:
Send Application by Courier to:
Re: "Scoping Reviews and Research Syntheses"
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:
Marie-Lynne Boudreau
Program Delivery Officer
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: (613) 941-0861
Fax: (613) 954-1800
E-mail: mboudreau@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
For questions about this initiative and research objectives contact:
Michèle O'Rourke
Associate, Strategic Initiatives
Room 97, 160 Elgin Street
Address locator: 4809A
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0W9
Telephone: (613) 952-4539
Fax: (613) 954-1800
E-mail: morourke@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.
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
CIHR is Canada's major federal funding agency for health research. Its objective is to excel, according to internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians, more effective health services and products and a strengthened Canadian health care system.
CIHR - Institute of Health Services and Policy Research
CIHR-IHSPR supports outstanding research, capacity-building and knowledge translation initiatives designed to improve the way health care services are organized, regulated, managed, financed, paid for, used and delivered, in the interest of improving the health and quality of life of all Canadians.
CIHR - Institute of Population and Public Health
CIHR-IPPH supports research into the complex interactions (biological, social, cultural, environmental), which determine the health of individuals, communities, and global populations; and, the application of that knowledge to improve the health of both populations and individuals, through strategic partnerships with population and public health stakeholders, and innovative research funding programs.
IPPH is interested in applications that address research focused on strengthening the intersection between public health and health care to ensure effective prevention, control and containment strategies in response to emerging and ongoing threats to the public's health.
CIHR - Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health
Depending on available resources, through this RFA the CIHR-IAPH will support research that contributes to the improvement of the health and well-being of First Nations, Inuit and/or Métis people. It will support innovative health research projects that generate new knowledge based on scientific excellence, cultural relevance and community collaboration. Projects should also build partnerships and alliances between aboriginal communities and relevant health research organizations/institutes at the local, regional and/or national levels.
CIHR - Knowledge Translation Branch (KT)
The role of the CIHR KT Branch is to create, support, monitor and sustain an environment that allows CIHR to deliver on its KT mandate. Fulfilling its corporate KT function, the KT Branch provides a focal point for KT as CIHR leads broad KT strategic initiatives and provides support to multi or pan-Institute KT initiatives.
