PHIRIC working group activities: population health intervention research competencies

Population health intervention research (PHIR) is usually conducted by teams of researchers together with community partners and policy leaders. To be competent in PHIR therefore requires a set of competencies that may well extend beyond the knowledge, skills and attitudes that any one individual may possess. They include the following:
  1. 1.
    Demonstrate foundational knowledge relevant to PHIR:
    1. 1.1
      Demonstrate relevant public and population health knowledge to inform PHIR (including knowledge of health equity, social determinants of health, and planning and/or implementation of population health interventions).
    2. 1.2
      Demonstrate and apply knowledge of research and evaluation theories, methods and approaches.
    3. 1.3
      Demonstrate understanding of effective partnership models.
    4. 1.4
      Demonstrate understanding of the unique characteristics of PHIR.
  2. 2.
    Manage PHIR projects:
    1. 2.1
      Prepare PHIR funding proposals in partnership with community partners, policy leaders and interdisciplinary team members.
    2. 2.2
      Manage and coordinate project teams, tasks, budgets and timelines.
    3. 2.3
      Identify and mitigate potential risks to the research.
    4. 2.4
      Develop and maintain partnerships.
  3. 3.
    Plan PHIR:
    1. 3.1
      Describe the particular intervention or focus of the research.
    2. 3.2
      Identify relevant research questions in partnership with community partners, policy leaders and interdisciplinary team members.
    3. 3.3
      Assess how situational and contextual factors and previously conducted research may influence the focus of the research, as well as the research itself.
    4. 3.4
      Assess anticipated and unanticipated outcomes of the intervention.
    5. 3.5
      Identify and select appropriate sources of data.
    6. 3.6
      Select research methods that are
      1. a.
        Appropriate to the research questions;
      2. b.
        Appropriate to the population and/or focus of the research; and
      3. c.
        The most rigorous possible in light of feasibility.
  4. 4.
    Integrate knowledge translation and exchange within the PHIR process:
    1. 4.1
      Facilitate knowledge exchange throughout the research process by collaborating with policy leaders, community partners, decision-makers and other researchers.
    2. 4.2
      Synthesize individual research study findings and relate them back to the larger body of knowledge on the topic.
    3. 4.3
      Tailor communication to the audience and local context.
    4. 4.4
      Disseminate PHIR results to the relevant community, policy and academic audiences.
  5. 5.
    Carry out PHIR:
    1. 5.1
      Collect data that is relevant to the question being asked and takes the context into account.
    2. 5.2
      Analyse and interpret data.
    3. 5.3
      Formulate and seek feedback on appropriate conclusions based on questions, methods and data.
    4. 5.4
      Justify decisions made in the course of designing and carrying out the research.
  6. 6.
    Be a reflective researcher:
    1. 6.1
      Adhere to a relevant set of professional standards of practice.
    2. 6.2
      Apply a relevant set of ethical principles to the research process.
    3. 6.3
      Develop professional networks within and outside one’s field.
    4. 6.4
      Seek out learning opportunities within and outside one’s field.
    5. 6.5
      Reflect on one’s own strengths and limitations as a researcher.
    6. 6.6
      Reflect on one’s role in improving population health and health equity.
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