• Timeline
• Purpose and Background
• Eligible Research Areas
• Eligibility Criteria
• Review Process
• How to Apply
• Contact Information
• Partner Descriptions

Timeline

Purpose and Background

On the occasion of its 100^th anniversary, the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) has identified 12 public health achievements in an effort to celebrate the contributions of public health from a Canadian perspective and to make our public health history more visible. A number of activities are planned including profiles, monthly features of each achievement, milestones, video clips and a dynamic website. The purpose of these activities is to engage the broader public health community and invite them to comment on these 12 achievements and identify additional milestones. For more information, please see the CPHA Centenary website.

To complement this effort, the CIHR-Institute of Population and Public Health (CIHR-IPPH) is partnering with the Canadian Public Health Association to initiate a call for milestones in public health research that have significantly contributed to the public's health in Canada and globally.

These milestones in research will be published on the CPHA website, the IPPH newsletter and website as well as also featured during CPHA's anniversary month (September 2010) and in a special insert in the Canadian Journal of Public Health.

Eligible Research Areas

Population and public health research involves the use of research methods (quantitative, qualitative, mixed) and theories that contribute to our understanding of the biological, social, economic, cultural and environmental determinants of health over the life course and that lead to improvements in population health and health equity in Canada and globally. It also involves research on policies or programs, which aim to improve the health and well-being of populations.

Submissions that align with any of the 12 public health achievements identified by the CPHA are eligible as are those that address another population and public health focus (as defined above).

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Eligibility Criteria

While there is a clear recognition that the evidentiary base in public health is global in nature, this call gives priority to milestones that underscore a unique Canadian contribution and perspective. CIHR-IPPH and CPHA encourage applications from individuals or teams. Teams may involve researchers, practitioners and/or policy makers from a variety of disciplines and fields (e.g. health sciences, social sciences, humanities, natural sciences) who are working in sectors within and outside of health. Applications submitted by Canadians working in Canada or abroad are acceptable. The lead applicant must have/have held funding from one of the Canadian Tri-Councils.
Current and past IPPH staff members are not eligible.

Applications that are either domestic and/or international/global in focus are encouraged. Milestones that focus on global population and public health research led by Canadians with benefits to Canada and other countries are eligible. Submissions from Canadian teams that also include researchers or decision-makers from other countries are also encouraged.

Illustrative examples of significant public health research milestones include but are not limited to:

• Demonstrated conceptual, theoretical or methodological advancements in public health research;
• Significant advancements that have contributed to improving the health of vulnerable populations;
• Significant contributions to improve the health or health equity impacts of a policy, program or other population health intervention.

This call for milestones will be limited to population and public health research with a demonstrable impact made in the last 25 years.

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Review Process

Applications will be assessed for eligibility by CIHR-IPPH and CPHA staff before they are sent for peer review. The peer review panel will be comprised of Canadian and international researchers and decision-makers from a range of disciplines.

The following evaluation criteria will be applied in the peer review process:

• Eligibility criteria (as described above);
• Relevance to one of the 12 CPHA achievements or other population and public health priority (as defined above)
• Demonstrated originality in addressing a public health problem
• Extent to which the milestone has led to significant improvements in health and/or health equity
• Evidence of impact in influencing research, policy and/or practice
• Strength of the individual/team members' track record (described below)

Applications will be assessed and ranked by the peer review panel using the evaluation criteria listed above. Public health research milestones will be ranked according to the CIHR rating system (numeric point system).

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How to Apply

Applications will only be accepted from individuals or teams who were directly involved in the public health research milestone. Applications must include the following components:

1) A completed application form [ PDF-Fillable (61 KB) ]

2) A description of no more than 1500 words (author guidelines for manuscript submissions) that addresses the following questions:
To which public health issue does this research milestone contribute? - Your description should briefly situate the reader by describing the public health issue addressed, by identifying what is already known about this issue and how this milestone has contributed to our knowledge base. It should also include evidence of a unique Canadian contribution and perspective.

How is impact demonstrated through this milestone? - This section should outline how the milestone advanced knowledge and/or informed decision-making in public health. To what extent has it influenced policy or program changes? How has it improved health, health equity or addressed the needs of vulnerable populations? How was impact assessed? Please provide examples of how the research milestone directly influenced policy or practice and cite examples of key publications that directly relate to the milestone as well as examples of publications that cite, use or build upon this evidence base. Acknowledgement of past collaborators who have made a substantial intellectual contribution to the research milestone is encouraged.

3) Letters of Support

Provide up to three letters of support from relevant individuals and organizations who can attest to the impact of this public health research milestone should be provided.

4) Biographical information

Biographical information for up to five individuals can be submitted and should include details about the individual/each team member, their academic/training background, examples of relevant publications from the last 25 years that directly relate to the public health research milestone and evidence of funding sources that supported the milestone.

Note: To be considered eligible, the description about the public health research milestone (requested above) should not have been submitted elsewhere for publication.

Submit applications electronically to:

Ashley M. Page
Administrative Coordinator
Institute of Population and Public Health
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Suite 312, 600 Peter-Morand Crescent,
Ottawa, Ontario K1G 5Z3
Tel: 613-562-5800 ext 8414
Fax: 613-562-5713
Email: ipph-ispp@uottawa.ca 

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Contact Information

For questions about this call, please contact:

Erica Di Ruggiero
Associate Director, Institute of Population and Public Health
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
600 Peter Morand Crescent, Suite 312
Ottawa, Ontario K1G 5Z3
Tel: 416 524-0111 Fax: 613-562-5713
Email: e.diruggiero@utoronto.ca

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Partner Descriptions

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research-Institute of Population and Public Health aims to improve the health of populations and promote health equity in Canada and globally through research and its application to policies, programs, and practice in public health and other sectors.

The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) is a national, independent, not-for-profit, voluntary association representing public health in Canada with links to the international public health community. CPHA's members believe in universal and equitable access to the basic conditions which are necessary to achieve health for all Canadians.