THUNDER BAY — While doctors and nurses work with patients on the frontlines, the researchers in the background play just as pivotal a role in health care by helping create new innovations and increase the quality of care.
“What we aim to do is make our research useful to help improve health and care,” said Brianne Wood, associate scientist of social accountability and learning health systems at the Thunder bay Regional Health Research Institute and NOSM University.
“We have the same goal as clinicians. We want to bring the best evidence forward so the care can be the best possible.”
Wood was one of eight presenters during the 18th annual Health and Research Showcase hosted by the Centre for Applied Health Research at St. Joseph’s Care Group.
This is the first time the showcase has been held in person after it was forced to be held virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Michel Bédard, scientific director for centre of applied research at St. Joseph’s Care Group, said people are delighted to return to an in-person meeting as it provides a unique opportunity to disseminate important research.
“We do believe that research is very important in delivering quality care, providing a venue for people to disseminate their research and research that is very relevant to Northwestern Ontario,” he said. “It also puts together the researchers, administrators, and clinical frontline people to discuss and hopefully create some connection between the clinical world and research world.”
There were numerous topics up for discussion during the showcase, ranging from research on early childhood care, addictions, senior care, and Indigenous health care.
“There is a very wide scope of research presented at the conference and attest to the great research and work that is being done in Northwestern Ontario,” Bédard said.
One of the presentations on Friday included a study by the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute on changes in adolescent and youth mental health presentations resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wood, who was part of the study and presented to the showcase, said the study found exactly what everyone expected.
“We found in children and youth mental health presentations in primary care increased after March 2020 and this increase was seen in both boys and girls and across all age groups,” she said.
“I think things are increasing, but we are also seeing, as others in the room noted, we are seeing people are accessing services outside of primary health care as well.”
More youth also access in a variety of ways, including virtually, which Wood may be because services are available in a more timely way.
“I think having a diversity of options is really important and needs more attention,” she said. “I think virtual options and remote health care could improve mental health opportunities. I think it’s about asking the youth what they need and getting that to them.”
The next steps include seeing how Northwestern Ontario compares to other parts of the province and if increases in presentations for mental health care correlates with access to other community or health care services, such as hospitalizations or emergency room visits.
And the data that is found through these kinds of studies can be used to increase the quality of care and access to care in the region.
According to Wood, research is about collecting the data, taking the useful information, and bringing it back into practice.
“These research meetings are great for actually continuing that cycle,” she said. “It’s about having multiple perspectives to bring some insight to the research findings and different people thinking of ways to apply that in practice.”
