About PHIRIC

Table of Contents

Problem

Canadians are proud of their health care system, but what we lack is a sufficiently resourced, sustainable prevention system that generates and uses relevant knowledge to inform program interventions, resource distribution approaches and healthy public policies. A prevention system is explicitly dedicated to the reduction of the incidence of disease and disability and to addressing the fundamental disease risk factors and conditions above and beyond delivering clinical preventive measures in, for example, primary care. To more effectively reduce the burden of chronic disease, reducing health inequities and create a healthy population, new kinds of knowledge and practice intelligence are needed to enable continuous learning. This knowledge is generated from population health intervention research. Whereas clinical and laboratory-based approaches seek to understand disease dynamics and distribution of risk, population health intervention research seeks to develop and implement solutions.

Efforts to advance population health intervention research have been underway for some time, but not necessarily in a coordinated way. The Population Health Intervention Research Initiative for Canada (PHIRIC) was established to bring a more coherent focus and plan to these efforts. PHIRIC aims to increase the quantity, quality and use of population health intervention research in Canada through a strategic and deliberate alignment of initiatives by key organizations responsible for public health research, policy and practice. PHIRIC is guided by a strategic alliance of individuals and organizations that develops plans to facilitate the necessary alignment of organizational priorities, investments, and activities.

The following working definition for population health intervention research has been adopted: population health intervention research involves the use of scientific methods to produce knowledge about policy and program interventions that operate within or outside of the health sector and have the potential to impact health at the population level

Vision

Contribute to the health of Canadians by promoting the better integration of research and evaluation to continuously improve population health interventions

Guiding Principles

A number of core principles underpin PHIRIC's vision and guide its goals, objectives and strategies. These guiding principles are:

  • The Public Good
  • Ethics and Integrity
  • Accountability and Transparency
  • Collaboration
  • Equity and Inclusiveness
  • Evidence-informed Continuous Learning and Decision-making
  • Innovation

Goal

Increase population health intervention research capacity - its quantity, quality and use by policy makers and practitioners.

Strategic Objectives

  1. Advance the science of population health intervention research
  2. Strengthen Canada's capacity to conduct and use relevant population health intervention research for policy and practice
  3. Enhance Canada's contribution to the global knowledge base on population health interventions through continuous learning and international collaborations
  4. Champion population health intervention research and enhance its profile

Governance and Management of PHIRIC

Stewardship - No initiative can be sustained without dedicated stewardship. While a core group is needed to champion the movement, the boundaries of PHIRIC need to be fluid and inclusive. Individuals and organizations involved in this initiative are listed on the CIHR website.

PHIRIC's activities are supported through four working groups:

  • Communications
  • Evaluation
  • Peer Review Guidelines
  • Training

Dr. Jean Shoveller, CIHR - Institute of Population and Public Health (IPPH) Advisory Board member and Mr. Stephen Samis, Vice-President of Policy, Canadian Health Services Research Foundation, co-chair the PHIRIC planning committee. The CIHR Institute of Population and Public Health provides secretariat support for the initiative.

Activities

Banff Workshop Report