CHOICE-D Patient and Family Guide to Depression Treatment project wins 2018 Paula Goering Collaborative Research and Knowledge Translation Award
The CHOICE-D Patient and Family Guide to Depression Treatment project team has been awarded the highly-coveted Paula Goering Collaborative Research and Knowledge Translation Award.
The awards committee was particularly impressed with the engagement of persons with lived experience in the co-design process and provision of training support.
The bi-annual Paula Goering award is sponsored by University of Toronto’s Department of Psychiatry, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Foundation, and CAMH’s Provincial Systems Support Program.
We thank all the applicants for their submissions and encourage further applications for the 2020 round.
We will hold an event in the next few months to celebrate the winning team as well as Dr. Goering’s vital contributions to making integrated knowledge exchange an important component of research.
About the CHOICE-D Patient and Family Guide to Depression Treatment project
This project is led by Dr. Sagar Parikh, Adjunct University of Toronto / Fulltime University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Andrew Kcomt, Mood Disorders Association of Ontario; and Janice Pong and Trehani Fonseka, St. Michael’s Hospital.
Project abstract: Major depression is a key public health challenge, with low rates of treatment and often poor treatment outcomes. Significant gaps exist in the application of the latest research findings in assessment and treatment to routine clinical practice. In addition, empowerment of patients in decision-making in health care and in activating self-help strategies are key strategies to improving health. To improve depression treatment, three groups formed an alliance to create a Knowledge Translation (KT) project that would create a new Patient and Family Guide to Depression Treatment. CAN-BIND is a major national research network, CANMAT is a network of leading clinicians and scientists in mood and anxiety disorders, and the Mood Disorders Association of Ontario (MDAO) is a major peer recovery / support organization. In 2016, new CANMAT depression guidelines for clinicians were created using (1) Evidence-based research (2) Expert opinion from psychiatry, pharmacy, and psychology and (3) Clinician feedback. MDAO led a project involving individuals with lived experience of mood disorders to review the CANMAT guidelines, identify the relevant parts for the public, and re-write them in a plain language, patient-friendly format, with careful attention as well to graphics and visual design. The MDAO-led project used experts in KT, patient advocacy, patient-oriented research, and psychiatry along with a KT literature review to identify the best methods for patient education and engagement. The new Patient and Family Guide to Depression Treatment was released online free of charge in March 2018 and is being actively disseminated, with evaluation of its impact underway.
Learn more about the CHOICE-D Patient and Family Guide to Depression Treatment project.