Annual Report 2024/25 (Activities)

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Knowledge Synthesis & Exchange 

Health Research Institute Seminar Series

The UNBC Health Research Seminar Series runs monthly between September and April and provides a venue for local and visiting researchers from a variety of disciplines and UNBC honors and graduate students to present their research.

Attendance is in-person and online. Recordings of past sessions can be viewed on the HRI Website.

The HRI would like to thank the 2024 - 2025 Seminar Series Committee for all of their hard work to plan, organize and host the seminar series: Dr. Kendra Furber, Dr. Rheanna Robinson, Nuziha Thasneem Shakkir, Bree Loeffler and Leana Garraway.

Summary of Progress 

Knowledge Synthesis & Exchange 

Knowledge Synthesis (KS) Centre 

The UNBC HRI Knowledge Synthesis Centre was established in 2019 with the purpose of expanding the capacity of UNBC and partner organizations to ask and answer health focused questions using synthesis methods, enhancing rural and northern applicability of the evidence, and setting up knowledge to be translated into action in policy and practice.

After discussion and advocating for funding, the role of Knowledge Synthesis Librarian was developed as a co-funded position between the HRI and UNBC Library, and in May 2024 we welcomed Terri McKellar into this role. Terri’s activities this year have included providing valuable services, supports and capacity building to UNBC Faculty, staff and students as well as external partners. Terri had assistance from the HRI Research Skills Development Trainee Rhonda Thygesen.

KS Centre Highlights

Key supports provided included:

  • Collaborative Knowledge Synthesis Projects: Engaging on 12 UNBC led projects, and along with the HRI Co-Leads and Manager, working with our Northern Health partners to develop a pathway for requests from NH to the Centre, and the beginning stages of developing a cost-recovery model and evaluation plan.
  • Methodological Services and Supports: by providing consultations and methodological expertise, & access to and training for Distiller SR review software.
  • Training and Capacity Building: Mentoring new employees, and presenting webinars such as KS Overview: Scoping, Systematic, and Rapid Reviews. Of particular note, Terri created a research guide on knowledge synthesis with the purpose of guiding students, faculty, staff and the community on review methodologies. This resource was launched in September 2024 and within 4 months had received over 700 views.

The guide and the uptake of NH and UNBC faculty with the Centre demonstrate the need and impact the Centre can have on quality improvement and health research. It highlights the role that a librarian can play within a Centre focused on review methodology and the need for reviews in an organization, like NH, that is continuously at capacity.

Faculty led projects that utilized HRI’s Distiller Software 

Faculty led projects that utilized HRI’s Distiller Software 
Primary Investigator Project Title 
Heath Matheson The effect of dual-task motor interference on higher-order cognitive processes: A systematic review and meta analysis
Shannon Freeman Outcomes of remote monitoring to support older adults to live well: A scoping Review
Davina Banner-Lukaris
  1. Organizing factors that foster engagement-capable environments: A study of Health Research Networks
  2. SPOR Integrated team -based primary care in rural communities
Margot Parkes
  1. Nechako Watershed Saturation Search
  2. Climate & Health Co-Benefits
Rheanna Robinson and Margot Parkes It’s about time! Designing for health research infrastructure that is inclusive, diverse, equitable and accessible, and is created with Indigenous, rural, remote and northern communities in mind.
Shannon Wagner (TRU)
  1. Prevalence and Work implications of Trauma-related Mental Health Conditions in High-risk Personnel
  2. Interventions and Prevention of Trauma-related Mental Health Conditions in High-risk Personnel

 

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