Study Recruitment

Principal Investigator:
Dr. Monica Parry, Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto

Researchers:
Dr. Hance Clarke - University Health Network
Dr. Ann Kristin Bjørnnes – Oslo Metropolitan University
Dr. Joseph Cafazzo – University Health Network
Ms. Abida Dhukai – University of Toronto
Dr. Paula Harvey – Women’s College Hospital
Dr. Joel Katz – York University
Dr. Chitra Lalloo – Hospital for Sick Children
Dr. Marit Leegaard – Oslo Metropolitan University
Dr. France Légaré - Université Laval
Dr. Judith McFetridge-Durdle – Florida State University
Dr. Michael McGillion – McMaster University
Dr. Colleen Norris – University of Alberta
Ms. Rose Patterson – Anishnawbe Health Toronto
Dr. Louise Pilote – Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre
Ms. Leah Pink – Sinai Health System
Dr. Jennifer Price – Women’s College Hospital
Dr. Jennifer Stinson – Hospital for Sick Children
Mr. J. Charles Victor – University of Toronto
Dr. Judy Watt-Watson – Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing

Patient Advisors: Carol Auld, Ms. Lynn Cooper, Christine Faubert, Deborah Park, Marianne Park, Beatrice Rickard, Vincenza Spiteri DeBonis

 Institution conducting the research: University of Toronto

Project Information:
Women with CAD have cardiac pain and other symptoms that differ from that of men. The overall goal of this research is to assess an app and website called at heart: a self-management WebApp designed to improve the health and well-being of women with heart disease. The three main features of the web app are the Heart Check, Wellness Check and the Library. at heart uses an interactive chat bot named ‘Holly’ to manage its content and your conversations. A chatbot is a software application used to conduct an on-line text conversation.

Eligibility:

• Women

• Living in Canada

• Over 18 years of age

• Living with cardiac pain, discomfort for more than 3 months

Your Participation:
Participants will complete a questionnaire at the start and end of the study and continue their usual health care. Half of the participants will be randomly assigned to use the WebApp on their computer, tablet or smartphone for 3 months. Participants will receive a $25 gift card at study completion. There is no in-person contact during this study. Consent and questionnaires are completed online. There are no known risks to participating in this study.

Start and End Date: September 2021 to June 2022

Confidentiality protocols: Only information necessary to meet the scientific goals of this project will be collected. To ensure the security and confidentiality of electronic data, data collected online will be stored on a secure server located at the University of Toronto. To ensure privacy, all personally identifying information is stored separately from health data entered in the at heart WebApp. No personal information is transmitted after the initial set-up. For security issues, information that is transmitted will be sent securely via encrypted HTTPS connection, preventing interception by a third party. Data is stored on HIPAA compliant servers.

This research project received ethics approval (#36415) through the University of Toronto Research Ethics Committee.

Contact Details:
Arland O’Hara, Research Officer, University of Toronto
women.atheart@utoronto.ca
Tel: 416-978-7165
Toll free: 1-888-566-2515

Investigators
Dr. Lihi Eder

Research host institution
Women’s College Hospital

Background
Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is an inflammatory arthritis that affects 1 in 400 Canadians and can lead to significant joint damage and disability. Despite the availability of effective medications many patients continue to experience debilitating joint pain and stiffness that have significant impact of their quality of life. Patients often seek information about diets to assist with improving their symptoms. However, little is known about the effect of different dietary patterns on disease activity in PsA.

Purpose of the study
The purpose of this study is to investigate whether changes to diet could improve symptoms of Psoriatic Arthritis

Eligibility criteria
Individuals are eligible if fulfilling the following:

• Age 18-80

• Diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis

• Stable on treatment for at least 3 months

• BMI: 25-40

• Additional criteria may apply

Participation details
For a 6 months period participants will be asked to alter their diet (according to a consultation by a dietitian), visit to Women’s College Hospital in Toronto 3 times, provide blood, stool and urine samples, complete questionnaires, expect intermittent text messages and phone calls and report dietary intake several times.

Participants will be reimbursed for their participation in the study (up to $260, and food gifts or gift-cards for an equal value).

Confidentiality protocols
nformation collected as part of this study will be kept confidential and will be protected at all times during and after the study. It will only be accessed by the research team members for research purposes. Only de-identified information will be transferred to the coordinating site of this study that is located in the University of Pennsylvania.

Geographic location
Toronto, Ontario.

Recruitment start and end date
Recruitment Started in February 2021 and is anticipated to continue until February 2023.

Research Team: 
Principle Investigator: Dr. William C. Miller, PhD, FCAOT, UBC
Gordon Tao, MScPhD Student, Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, UBC
Ed Geisbrecht, PhD, BMR, BSW, University of Manitoba
Dr. Julie Robillard, PhD, UBC

Research Host Institution: 
University of British Colombia (UBC)

Background Information and study purpose:
Creating games for different therapies (e.g. exercise therapy) can make therapy more engaging, especially for older adults who may require greater access to rehabilitation. We want to know how to beter involve older adults in creating games for rehabilitation that suit their needs. 

Participation Details:
- Take part in an online interview over two 1-hour sessions, each lasting no more than 1-hour
- Share your views about using and creating video games for therapy
- An honorarium will be provided for your time

Eligibility Criteria:
1) 50 years of age and older
2) Have experience using video games for health, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, or cognitive therapy
3) Have access to a computer with a webcam and internet
4) Able to communicate in English

Learn more/contact research team:
Gordon Tao
Email: garden.rehabresearch@ubc.ca
Phone: 604-734-1313 Ext. 6292

Risks:
Participating in the interview, you will be sharing some of your rehabilitation experiences. It is possible you may find this an uncomfortable experience.

Recruitment End Date: 
Recruitment of the study will continue until December 31, 2021

This study received approval from the Behavioural Research Ethics Board. BREB #: H19-02521.

Researchers: Sabrina Cavallo Ph.D., Dr Ciarán Duffy, Jennifer Stinson, Ph.D., Karine April Toupin, Ph.D.  

Institution: Université de Montréal et Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire en réadaptation du Montréal Métropolitain (CRIR)

We would like to get the opinion of young people living with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) on JIActiv, a social media-based group intervention aimed at promoting physical activity.

To participate in the study, young people need to meet the following criteria:
1) Be between 13 and 25 years of age,
2) Have been diagnosed with JIA by a paediatric rheumatologist,
3) Understand and be able to express themselves in English or French,
4) Have an e-mail address or create one for the purpose of the study;
5) Have access to an electronic device giving access to the internet.

Participation in the study involves two one-hour interviews with the young person as well as filling out a questionnaire that will take about 15-min. Young people who are interviewed will be compensated for their participation in the form of gift certificates that will be mailed to them after each interview.

We would also like to get the opinion of parents of young people with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) on JIActiv, a social media-based group intervention aimed at promoting physical activity.

To participate in the study, parents need to meet the following criteria:
1) Have at least one child aged between 13 and 25 years who lives with JIA,
2) Understand and be able to express themselves in English or French,
3) Have an e-mail address or create one for the purpose of the study;
4) Have access to an electronic device giving access to the internet.

Participation in the study involves two one-hour interviews with the parent as well as filling out a questionnaire that will take about 15-min. Parents who are interviewed will be compensated for their participation in the form of gift certificates that will be mailed to them after each interview.

Interviews will be anonymized to maintain participant confidentiality. All research data will be kept on a secured server of the Institut universitaire sur la réadaptation en déficience physique de Montréal (IURDPM) and all files will be password protected.

If you are interested, please contact Sabrina Cavallo, researcher at the University of Montreal, at 514-343-7217 or by Email at sabrina.cavallo@umontreal.ca.

Names of researchers on the team: Gabrielle Pagé, PhD; Jinghui Cheng, PhD; José Côté, PhD; Pierre Beaulieu, MD PhD; Michaël Chassé, MD PhD; Foutse Khomh, PhD; Aliza Weinrib, PhD; Caroline Arbour, PhD; Giulio Antoniol, PhD

Institution where the research will be conducted: CHUM Research Centre.

Research objective: To design and evaluate a personalized mobile application to help patients optimize postoperative pain management and minimize unintended persistent opioid therapy (UPOT).

Background: The current healthcare system, with its limited resources and long waitlists, is not equipped to adequately care for patients experiencing poorly controlled postoperative pain upon returning home. We believe the key to support patients post-operatively is to create a system that adapts to their symptoms and mental state to deliver adapted information they need in a motivating way.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Must be 18 years old or older
• Have received a major surgery within the last year in QC
• Speak and understand French and/or English
• Have moderate to severe pain following surgery OR have received a prescription for opioids in connection with surgery
• Live in Quebec

Details of participation, including time commitment and possible risks: Each participant will be asked to participate in up to 5 online interviews lasting approximately 1 hour each.

There are no known risks to participating in this research project.

Confidentiality protocols: Only information necessary to meet the scientific goals of this project will be collected. To ensure the security and confidentiality of electronic data, data collected online will be stored on a secure server located at the CRCHUM.

Geographic location: Remote (online)

Contact Information: Elise Develay, elise.develay.chum@ssss.gouv.qc.ca or 514-890-8000 ext:14653

Recruitment Start and End Date: Start: June 2021; End: December 2022

Principal investigators: Debbie Feldman, PhD, Université de Montréal, Sasha Bernatsky, MD PhD, Université McGill, Linda Woodhouse, PhD, University of Alberta 

Project description and objectives: Our project, funded by the Canadian Initiative for Outcomes in Rheumatology Care (CIORA) of the Canadian Rheumatology Association focuses on the identification process by physiotherapists of newly affected patients with  inflammatory arthritis and the consequences of rapid referral of these patients to rheumatology care. The purpose of the focus groups is to explore how to facilitate appropriate referrals in rheumatology and optimize the care of a patient with inflammatory arthritis. The focus group will be composed of 4-8 patients and the main goal is to help optimize patient care in inflammatory arthritis. 

If you are interested in further details about this research, please contact Tatiana Rodriguez, Tatiana.orozco.rodriguez@gmail.com. 

Read the Invitation

Principal investigator:  
Doctor Laetitia Michou, MD, PhD, Rheumatologist CHU de Québec-Université Laval

Co-investigators:  
Doctor Louis Bessette, MD, MSc, FRCPC, Rheumatologist CHU de Québec-Université Laval,  
Doctor Paul R. Fortin, MD, MPH, FRCPC, Rheumatologist CHU de Québec-Université Laval,  
Doctor Diane Lacaille, MD, MPH, FRCPC, Rheumatologist Arthritis Research Canada, Vancouver,  
Doctor Joyce Dogba, MD, PhD, Université Laval,
Jean Légaré, Ph.D, Arthritis Consumer Advisory Board (PIRA),
Doctor Sophie Ruel-Gagné, Fellow in rheumatology  

Project Information:   
Precision medicine, a personalized medicine based on biomarkers, is a booming field. In recent years, there have been a number of global initiatives such as the Human Genome Project, the 100,000 Genomes Project in the United Kingdom and the US Precision Medicine Initiative whose purpose is to offer personalized care to each individual. Pharmacogenomics, a discipline that studies the role of genes in drug response and drug toxicity, is an important part of precision medicine. Some genetic tests are already widely prescribed by rheumatologists to improve patient care, and new tests should gradually appear and help make better treatment decisions.  

Some studies have also focused on the knowledge and expectations of patients, but none have been done in rheumatology. They demonstrated that patients generally have a favorable attitude to the integration of precision medicine into clinical practice, but that their knowledge and understanding of genetic principles and tests are limited. It is therefore essential to better inform patients so that they are able to consent in a free and informed manner and to understand the results of the tests so as to integrate them into their shared decision-making. This project will assess the expectations and educational needs in the field of precision medicine among patients with rheumatic diseases, with the intent to develop educational tools that meet their needs. 

Your Participation:   
For this project, you will have to complete a 20–question survey divided into four sections: experience, knowledge, expectations and educational needs in the field of precision medicine (the estimated time to complete the questionnaire is 10 minutes). 

Contact Information: 
If you have questions about the research project, please contact Sophie Ruel-Gagné (sophie.ruel-gagne.1@ulaval.ca), co-investigator of this project. 

This study has been approved by the CER du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, #2018-4065

Principal Investigator: Deborah Marshall, PhD, Professor, Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary.

Co-investigators: Darren Mazzei, PhD Candidate, Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary.

Start and end date:  October 30, 2021 to December 31, 2021

Background and purpose: Canada’s public health care system pays for doctor visits, imaging, and surgery, but medications and treatments to manage osteoarthritis are paid out-of-pocket or with private health insurance. 

Our research team wants to understand what nonsurgical services people use to manage their osteoarthritis, as well as the cost and effectiveness of these services. This study will track your symptoms and health care use over 1 year. Study results are intended to inform policy decisions about funding nonsurgical osteoarthritis services in Alberta.

Your participation: We are asking participants to complete a web-based questionnaire collecting basic demographics, pain intensity, medications, ability to do daily activities, quality of life and health care resources used because of arthritis. Your arthritis-related health care resource use might include appointments, procedures, and treatments as well as personal costs like travel costs for medical appointment, lost time, or lost income.

Time commitment: We are asking participants to complete a questionnaire every 3 months for a 12-month period. This means you will complete the questionnaire 5 times over 1 year. The first questionnaire will take 15-30 minutes, and subsequent questionnaires will be 15 minutes or less.

Eligibility:
•    45+ years of age 
•    Diagnosed with hip and/or knee osteoarthritis by a health professional
•    Resident of Alberta

Confidentiality protocols: All information you provide for this research study will be kept confidential. Your personal information (name, telephone number and e-mail address) will be stored on a secure server located at the University of Calgary in Calgary, Alberta. Your personal information (name, telephone number and e-mail address) will only be used to contact you for study purposes. The researchers doing the project will be the only people with access to your contact information. 

How do people get involved? Please contact Darren by phone or email if you have any questions and/or would like to participate.

Study coordinator: Darren Mazzei, PhD Candidate, Health Economics
Department of Community Health Sciences
Cumming School of Medicine
University of Calgary
P:1-403-441-3650
E: hip.knee@ucalgary.ca

This study has been approved by the University of Calgary Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board (REB20-0613).

What support do you need at work? Help us develop recommendations for employers. If you're 18-35 & live with juvenile arthritis, lupus or another rheumatic condition, we want to hear from you.

Learn more: https://tinyurl.com/ArthritisEmploymentStudy

Do you have rheumatoid arthritis? Do you want to be more active?

Researchers at McGill/MUHC are comparing the effects of two different 12-week exercise programs designed for people with RA.

• Adults 18 to 65 years of age who are not currently exercising
• Individually supervised exercise program or home-based exercise program
• Measurement of body composition, resting metabolic rate, muscle strength and other fitness measures before and after the program
• Participants stay on all usual RA medicines throughout the study

For more info:

Call Alex at 514-398-4184 ext 8910
Email: RAexercisestudy@gmail.com

This research project received ethics approval (##2018-3192) through the McGill University Health Centre Research Ethics Board.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is more common in women with inflammatory arthritis. Inflammatory arthritis pain can present as chest and shoulder pain and is difficult to distinguish from cardiac pain.

If you are a woman greater than 55 years of age with rheumatologist diagnosed inflammatory arthritis (rheumatoid psoriatic or ankylosing spondylitis) and established CAD (history of MI, percutaneous intervention [PCI], and/or coronoary artery bypass graft surgery) and interested in participating in a focus group to inform the development of an innovative mobile and web-based health solution for women, please contact Dr. Monica Parry.

Contact details:

Dr. Monica Parry, University of Toronto
(416) 946-3561
Monica.parry@utoronto.ca

Sessions will be one hour in length. Refreshment and a $25 gift card will be provided.

This research project received ethics approval (#34908) through the University of Toronto Research Ethics Committee.