The BRIC NS team is delighted to share exciting updates on the future of BRIC NS. BRIC NS, along with the other SPOR PIHCI Networks, has applied for funding to form a pan-Canadian Primary Care Network. The results of this funding competition will be known in early spring 2022. BRIC NS will continue to focus on research support and development, capacity building, and engagement in the province. In addition, we will have more responsibility for pan-Canadian activities in the new Primary Care Network.
Dr. Emily Gard Marshall, Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at Dalhousie University, who participated in writing the initial BRIC NS grant and has acted as co-Investigator and BRIC NS Management Committee member, will oversee the management and operations of BRIC NS going forward. Dr. Ruth Lavergne, Canada Research Chair in Primary Care in the Department of Family Medicine at Dalhousie University, is the new Nova Scotia Co-Investigator in the SPOR Primary Care Network. Working together, Drs. Marshall and Lavergne will ensure that BRIC NS continues its work of supporting primary and integrated health care research in Nova Scotia and contributes to the mission and goals of the pan-Canadian network. Success in the SPOR Primary Care Network funding application will also include a greater role for the Nova Scotia practice-based research network known as MaRNet led by Dr. Matt Grandy. Dr. Fred Burge, who has acted as the Science Lead and Nominated Principal Investigator for BRIC NS since 2015, is retiring and stepping down from his role. We are thankful for his continued support and guidance over the next few months as we make these transitions.
As always, reach out to us at bricns@dal.ca if you have any questions or if we can support you in your primary health care research.
BRIC NS Student Research Award 2022
Applications for the BRIC NS Student Research Award will be accepted from March 14 to May 13, 2022.
BRIC NS Student Seminar Series
The BRIC NS Student Seminar Series is an opportunity for students across Nova Scotia to share their completed or in-progress research. Presentations cover a wide-variety of disciplines, but all address the common thread of primary and integrated health care. Everyone is welcome!
Details:
Date: March 9, 2022
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 pm AST
To Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RwU9QET6Tniui-z1Oanzzw
After registering, you will receive an email with details about joining the Zoom session. If you need assistance registering email bricns@dal.ca.
This seminar will cover two topics:
Julia Kontak will present: The role of Youth Engagement in Health Promoting Schools
Rachel Erskine will present: Thyroid testing: Are we choosing wisely?
About the speakers:
Julia Kontak is a PhD in Health student at Dalhousie University. Julia’s research interests include healthy school communities, youth engagement and knowledge translation. Julia’s PhD work is embedded within UpLift, a School-Community-Partnership co-led by her supervisor, Dr. Sara Kirk, that aims to catalyze and support Health Promoting Schools efforts across Nova Scotia, Canada. Prior to pursuing her PhD, Julia completed her MA in Health Promotion at Dalhousie University and worked at two leading health research organizations in Nova Scotia. Most recently, Julia held the position of the Knowledge Translation Coordinator at the Maritime SPOR Support Unit for four years.
Rachel Erskine is a fourth year medical student at Dalhousie University, planning to pursue a career in Family Medicine. Her research interests include quality improvement and medical education. This talk will provide an update on current thyroid screening guidelines. A chart review at a Dalhousie Family medicine clinic was done to assess how well we are adhering to the Choosing Wisely guidelines when it comes to TSH testing. We also compare our performance prior to pandemic restrictions to during restrictions and hope to spark discussion on how COVID restrictions have impacted clinical decision making.
Health System Impact Fellows
Congratulations to BRIC NS member Mike Reid, chosen as one of the 2021 CIHR Health System Impact Fellows. His work will explore how people accessing the health care system have a differing experience with primary health care as their health care needs become more complex and he will be working with Nova Scotia Health. Read more here.
Primary Health Care Learning Series
Join us to learn research and quality assurance projects being conducted by the primary and integrated health care community
Date: February 9, 2022 | 12:00 – 1:15 pm AST
This event is free and open to everyone. You must register in advance: https://bit.ly/3gaeQ4m. If you need help registering please contact bricns@dal.ca. Information about joining the webinar will be sent after registration.
This seminar will consist of two presentations:
Talking ’bout my generation: Practice patterns among early-career family physicians and implications for primary care policy and workforce planning
About the speaker:
Dr. Ruth Lavergne is an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at Dalhousie University and Tier II Canada Research Chair in Primary care. Dr. Lavergne’s program of research aims to address disparities in access and build evidence to ensure primary care organization, delivery, and workforce meet the needs of Canadians now and in the future. She leads the Early Career Primary Care (ECPC) study, which is exploring changing practice patterns among family physicians, as well as practice intentions and choices among family medicine residents and early career physicians.
The kids are alright: Influences on the intentions for obstetric practice among family physicians and residents in Canada
About the speaker:
Dr. Emily Gard Marshall is an Associate Professor in the Dalhousie Department of Family Medicine Primary Care Research Unit, cross appointed with Community Health and Epidemiology, and Psychiatry, as well as a Nova Scotia Health Affiliated Scientist. Her mixed methods research examines primary healthcare from patient, provider, and system perspectives to address the quadruple aim: promoting population health, optimizing costs, enhancing patient experience, and supporting care team well-being. Foci include access, continuity, and comprehensiveness to improve equity and optimize outcomes across the life course, involving population data and equity-deserving populations. She leads multiple pan-Canadian studies including the CIHR COVID-19 Rapid Response funded PUPPY-Study. Dr. Marshall is the 2020 recipient of the NAPCRG Mid-Career Researcher Award.
BRIC NS Student Seminar Series
The BRIC NS Student Seminar Series is an opportunity for students across Nova Scotia to share their completed or in-progress research. Presentations cover a wide variety of disciplines, but all address the common thread of primary and integrated healthcare. Everyone is welcome!
Details:
Date: January 12, 2022
Time:12:15-1:30 pm AST
To register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_jjP7uw2fRWOOy-TqdzP_Qw
After registering you will receive an email with details about joining the Zoom session. If you need assistance registering contact bricns@dal.ca.
This seminar will cover two topics:
Kaylee Jabbour will present: Exclusive breastfeeding prevalence in an urban Nova Scotia primary care setting at six months of age
Hailey Burns will present: Attention bias and social skills in youth with anxiety disorders
About the speakers:
Kaylee Jabbour is currently a 3rd year Dalhousie medical student. She graduated from the University of Prince Edward Island with her Bachelor of Science in Biology in 2017. Her supervisor is Dr. Helena Piccinini-Vallis. Her primary clinical and research interests include maternal health, women’s health and sexual health.
Hailey Burns is a first year Master’s student in the Masters of Psychiatry Research Program at Dalhousie University under the co-supervision of Dr. Sandra Meier and Dr. Raymond Klein. Her research focuses on the relationship between negative attentional biases in anxious and healthy youth in various social situations. This innovative project blends the study of cognitive behaviours and emotional well-being with modern eye-tracking software to potentially identify new targets, such as altering one’s attention bias, to help guide the development of new therapeutic techniques for those living with anxiety. Outside of academia, Hailey has taken up many hobbies due to the ongoing pandemic, including embroidering, painting, hiking with her dog Hudson, watching all of the marvel movies in chronological order, and has now moved on to a new hobby to try: knitting.
Primary Health Care Learning Series
Innovation and Integration in Practice at Nova Scotia Health: An integrated care model for patients experiencing persistent post-COVID symptoms and the role of embedded research, improvement, and patient engagement
Date: December 8, 2021 | 12:00 – 1:15 pm AST
This event is free and open to everyone. You must register in advance: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MgDGlq9tRzG92AcaYrXATA
Information about joining the Zoom Webinar will be sent after registering. If you need assistance registering, please contact bricns@dal.ca.
Presentation 1: Integrated Post-COVID Care Delivery
About the speakers:
Ashley Harnish is a Health Services Manager in Primary Health Care at Nova Scotia Health. In her portfolio, Ashley supports a range of programs and services within primary health care and is most excited to speak to you today about the Integrated Chronic Care Service.
Krista Blaikie Hughes is a Patient Family Advisor with the Post-Covid Care steering committee. Krista brings her perspective and lived-experience to the committee’s activities having tested positive for COVID-19 during Nova Scotia’s third wave. She spent 19 days in hospital on the Covid Unit and in ICU. She is currently in the Long Covid phase of her recovery. A graduate of Acadia University and Mount Saint Vincent University, Krista is office manager for a Dartmouth-based marine engineering consulting firm, ABL Canada, responsible for finance and HR, HSEQ and marketing. Prior to joining ABL, Krista worked in communication management roles in a variety of industry sectors including law enforcement, wholesale food distribution, economic development, residential construction and electrical utility.
Presentation 2: The Role of Embedded Research, Innovation and Discovery
About the speakers:
Dr. Tara Sampalli is the Senior Scientific Director in the Research, Innovation and Discovery portfolio at Nova Scotia Health. Dr. Sampalli obtained her engineering degree from Bangalore University, followed by Masters of Applied Science from Dalhousie University. She obtained her PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies specializing in Health Informatics from Dalhousie University. Tara is the lead for the Implementation Science Team in Research, Innovation & Discovery. Working with key partners in Nova Scotia Health and the province, she is also involved in leading the development of a learning health system strategy. Tara and the implementation team routinely engage in supporting key policy, planning and practice improvement decisions through rapid reviews, implementation science initiatives and rapid evaluation. Her research interests include chronic disease management and multimorbidities, patient engagement, integrated models of care, and knowledge management.
Dr. Caroline King is a biostatistics consultant with the Research Methods Unit at Nova Scotia Health. The Research Methods Unit provides expert advice on all stages of the research process including study design and protocol development, statistical analyses and interpretation of results. She has a PhD in Epidemiology from McGill University where she specialized in health policy impact evaluation. Her primary interests is in using real world data and causal inference methods to rigorously assess the impact of health system changes on patient-centered outcomes. She particularly enjoys collaborating with large teams and helping them combine quantitative methods from epidemiology, economics and machine learning to achieve their research goals.
Swarnima Gambhir and Robert Laureijs are project coordinators working closely with Dr. Sampalli as part of the Implementation Science Team in Research, Innovation and Discovery, Nova Scotia Health.
Implementation findings from the PriCARE Program: A nurse-led case management approach in Primary Health Clinics in Nova Scotia
BRIC NS and the Centre for Transformative Nursing and Health Research (CTHNR) are pleased to present a co-sponsored session of the Wednesdays @ Noon seminar series. Join us to learn about the PriCARE Program and real-world examples of patient partnership in action! All welcome.
Details:
November 17, 2021 | 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82912951088?pwd=dzltQy9PSlZkUkMvZ2FEQ2VsZ2V3Zz09
Zoom Meeting ID: 829 1295 1088 Passcode : 755506
Presenters:
DR. FRED BURGE, Principal Investigator (Nova Scotia)
DR. MARILYN MACDONALD, co-Investigator
ALANNAH DELAHUNTY-PIKE, Research Associate
JUDY PORTER, Patient Partner
DONNA RUBENSTEIN, Patient Partner
BRIC NS Student Seminar Series
The BRIC NS Student Seminar Series is an opportunity for students across Nova Scotia to share their completed or in-progress research. Presentations cover a wide variety of disciplines, but all address the common thread of primary and integrated healthcare. Everyone is welcome!
Details:
Date: November 10, 2021
Time:12:00-1:15 pm AST
To register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qKTLTdvNT3aZ6QAA-nsHdw
After registering you will receive an email with details about joining the Zoom session.
This seminar will cover two topics:
Cassidy Bradley will present: Treatment regret, mental and physical health indicators of psychosocial well-being among prostate cancer survivors
Rachel Ollivier will present: Exploring Postpartum Sexual Health in Nova Scotia Using Feminist Poststructuralism
About the speakers:
Cassidy Bradley is a 2nd year MSc student at Dalhousie, studying Epidemiology and Applied Health Research. Her supervisor is Dr. Gabriela Ilie. Cassidy’s primary research interests include chronic disease management, quality of life, health equity and mental health. For her thesis she is studying the role of treatment regret, mental and physical health, as well as prostate cancer physical side effects to the quality of life (emotional, social, functional, and spiritual well-being) of survivors.
Rachel Ollivier is a PhD Candidate and Vanier Scholar at the Dalhousie University School of Nursing. She is also a practicing Registered Nurse at the IWK Health Centre. Her areas of research interest include maternal health, women’s health, and global health. Within nursing, Rachel’s experience spans education, teaching, research, and clinical practice.
Congratulations to the winners of the 2021 BRIC NS Student Research Award!
BRIC NS is pleased to announce the winners of its annual Student Research Award. The award provides financial support to graduate students undertaking a health-related research project related to BRIC NS priorities. Winning applications demonstrate their relevance to, and potential impact on, primary and integrated health care. Applications are also assessed on patient engagement and knowledge translation plans, feasibility and overall quality. Thank you to all of our applicants and reviewers.
This year’s recipients will be recognized at a virtual reception. Winners will present during the 2021-22 Student Seminar Series. Read on to learn more about this year’s recipients.
Rosanne Burke
Master of Arts in Family Studies and Gerontology, Mount Saint Vincent University
Project: How Do Interrelationships Impact Home Care Service Delivery and Client Satisfaction?
What is one thing you would like people to know about your research?
Caring for aging adults who often live with multiple health conditions requires a comprehensive team of individuals from both the formal sector of home care services and family (Goodwin et al., 2014). With this in mind, my research will examine how home care services are affected by interrelationships of people coming together to care for the older adult and will include how these relationships may have been impacted in the context of the pandemic.
Hailey Burns
Master’s of Science, Psychiatry (Research), Dalhousie University
Project: Attention bias and social skills in youth with anxiety disorders
What is one thing you would like people to know about your research?
My research focuses on the relationship between negative attention bias in anxious and healthy youth in various social situations, including photos, videos, and social media. This innovative project blends the study of cognitive behaviour and emotional well-being with modern eye-tracking software to potentially identify new targets, such as altering a negative attention bias, to help guide the development of therapeutic techniques for those living with anxiety. Nova Scotia has previously reported having one of the highest rates of using healthcare services for anxiety in Canada, thus it is essential to advance treatment options to help individuals conquer their anxiety. As we are currently practicing social distancing due to COVID-19, it is imperative to see the impact of social media on mental wellbeing as the prevalence of online methods of communication are increasing.
Chiara Gottheil
Master’s of Science, Community Health and Epidemiology, Dalhousie Unversity
Project: Understanding diagnostic pathways for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer: a mixed methods study
What is one thing you would like people to know about your research?
Ovarian cancer is notoriously difficult to diagnose. Many cases are diagnosed at a late stage, resulting in a high mortality rate. This demonstrates the importance of an efficient system for identifying ovarian cancer. Factors such as long wait times and difficulty accessing healthcare can contribute to the delay in diagnosis. I am hoping that my research will lead to the development of new tools for primary care providers so that ovarian cancer can be diagnosed at an earlier stage.
Additionally, I believe that patient-oriented research should include the patient perspective. Therefore, my project includes interviews with ovarian cancer patients and their healthcare providers so that we can learn about the barriers to diagnosis they have experienced, with the goal of learning how patients can be better supported during the process.
It is my hope that this research helps contribute to a system where no one goes undiagnosed due to issues of access and quality of care.
Brannon Senger
Master’s of Science, Psychology (Clinical), Dalhousie University
Project: Evaluating a peer support intervention for youth transitioning from early psychosis services to primary care
What is one thing you would like people to know about your research?
Mental illnesses are no different from physical illnesses, like cancer, in that earlier intervention often results in better outcomes. This is especially true in areas of severe mental illness like psychotic disorders which historically have been associated with a great deal of stigma and “therapeutic nihilism”. Those experiencing psychosis, who receive early intervention services, tend to have better outcomes than those who don’t. Nonetheless, those transitioning out of specialized psychiatric services, and into primary care, are at risk for relapse. For this reason, better collaboration between these two systems can help to transition youth and provide primary care physicians with the appropriate context to best support their patients.
Emily Wildeboer
PhD, Clinical Psychology, Dalhousie University
Project: The Relationship Between Chronic Pain, Depression and Suicidality in Adolescents
What is one thing you would like people to know about your research?
My research focuses on the complex relationship between mental health and suicide in adolescents with chronic pain. Chronic pain and suicide in adolescents are important topics in the area of health research, and both are significantly impacted by psychosocial concerns, such as social isolation, and poor mental health, such as depression. We know a lot about how these concerns interact with chronic pain on its own, and how they contribute to suicidality on its own, but we don’t know a lot about suicidality within the adolescent chronic pain population, and that’s what my research aims to explore. My research is important because understanding more about factors that influence suicidality in these adolescents can allow health researchers to implement early intervention strategies that are targeted at not only managing pain, but also at managing the associated psychosocial concerns that could contribute to suicidality.
BRIC NS 