Get Involved in Research

Project Title:
The Role of Art Practices Among Young Adults with Chronic Physical Illness: A Qualitative Study

Research Team:
Dr. Alexander Hall and student investigator Priya Rai

Host Institution:
McMaster University

Background & Purpose:
This study explores how informal art practices (e.g., visual art, poetry, creative writing) shape the lived experiences of young adults with chronic physical illness. The goal is to understand the role of creative expression in coping, well-being, and patient-centred care.

Eligibility:
To be eligible to participate in this study, you must be:

• Between ages 18-30 years old
• A Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• Diagnosed with a chronic physical illness
• Comfortable communicating in English
• Currently engaging or have previously engaged in informal art practices

Participation Details:
Participants will complete a one-on-one Zoom interview (~1 hour). With consent, the interview will be audio-recorded. Some questions may be emotionally sensitive. Participants may skip questions, take breaks, or withdraw at any time before anonymization (January 2026).

Confidentiality:
All responses will be anonymized. Personal data will be securely stored and destroyed after project completion. Quotes may be shared in publications or presentations, without identifying details.

Recruitment Start Date: September 1, 2025
Recruitment End Date: December 31, 2025

Contact Details:
If you are interested in participating in this study or have any questions, please contact Priya Rai at [email protected].

Project Title: 
Experiences and Satisfaction with Care in Canadian Adults with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Research Team:
Dr. Susan Bartlett and Viviane Ta, PhD Candidate

Research Host Institution:
McGill University

Background: 
The COVID-19 pandemic has made virtual care more common and an option for some visits (in addition to in-person appointments with your rheumatologist) for managing RA. To support this shift, the Canadian Rheumatology Association has created recommendations of when to potentially consider the option for a virtual visit to help tackle the shortage of rheumatologists in Canada. Virtual visits also are an important option for people who live far from their rheumatologist.

Purpose: 
The patient voice is essential in discussions about how to best transform RA care in Canada. However, little is known about patient preferences and needs regarding the option for virtual visits as part of comprehensive RA care. To address this gap, we are conducting an anonymous online survey among adults with RA who receive care from rheumatologists across Canada.

Eligibility Criteria:
You are eligible to participate in this study if you:

• Are 18 years of age and older
• Have RA and receive care from a rheumatologist in Canada

Participation Details: 
The online survey takes about 15 minutes and includes questions about you, your RA, and your views, preferences, and experience with virtual and in-person RA visits. We will not collect information that can identify you.

Survey link: https://mcgillecp.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cNlLeiVFLQwRc4S

Recruitment Start Date: June 16, 2025
Recruitment End Date: October 31, 2025

Contact Details: 
Please contact Viviane Ta at [email protected] for more information.

Project Title: 
Evaluation of a JIA Decision Aid to Improve the Collaborative Decision-Making Process Between Patients, Families, and Clinical Care Teams

Research Team:
Antonia Barbaric (PhD Candidate) and Dr. Joseph Cafazzo

Research Host Institution: 
University of Toronto

Background:
JIA often requires trial and error to find effective treatments, which can be physically and emotionally challenging when patient and family preferences aren’t fully considered. Our decision aid bridges this gap by capturing your priorities and aligning them with current guidelines to present clear, personalized treatment options.

Purpose:
Our research is focused on improving collaboration in the decision-making process for selecting JIA treatments. We are creating a decision aid tool to help with this process and are looking for your feedback!

Eligibility Criteria: 
You may be eligible to participate if you:

• Have been diagnosed with JIA
• Are between 10 to 25 years of age
• Have been prescribed at least one JIA medication

Participation Details:
Your role will involve:

• Participating in an online interview on Zoom (30-45 minutes)
• Filling out a demographic questionnaire (5 minutes), and
• Filling out two surveys to help share your thoughts about the decision aid (5-10 minutes)

Participants will receive a $25 gift card.

Risks & Confidentiality: 
Discussing your JIA management may cause emotional discomfort. Participants will be reminded that they do not need to share anything they are not comfortable with and that all information will be anonymized and securely stored.

Recruitment Start Date: July 4, 2025
Recruitment End Date: October 31, 2025

Contact Details: 
To participate, please contact Antonia, the study coordinator, by emailing: [email protected] to discuss next steps. If you have any questions about your rights as a participant, please contact the Research Oversight and Compliance Office – Human Research Ethics Program: [email protected] or (416) 946-3273.

Project Title: 
Mental Health in Individuals with Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases During the Transition to Parenthood: A Mixed Methods Study to Identify Associated Factors and Support Needs

Research Team: 
Dr. Deborah Da Costa (Primary Investigator), Dr. Évelyne Vinet, and Dr. Elham Rahme

Research Host Institution: 
McGill University Health Centre

Background & Purpose: 
Parents living with autoimmune rheumatic diseases face unique challenges that can impact their mental health, yet little is known about their specific needs during early parenthood. Researchers at the McGill University Health Centre are conducting a national study to better understand and address these needs.

Eligibility Criteria: 
You may be eligible to participate if you:

• Are 18 years of age or older
• Have been diagnosed with an autoimmune rheumatic disease
• Live in Canada
• Are able to read French or English, and
• Have at least one child aged 0-5 years old

Participation Details:
Participation involves a 40-minute online survey, with a $15 gift card as a thank you.

Risks & Confidentiality: 
Risks are minimal. Aside from the time required, you may find some personal questions uncomfortable, but you’re always free to skip any that make you uneasy. All responses are confidential and securely stored. Your insights will help improve supports for parents navigating both chronic illness and early parenthood.

Recruitment start date: May 1, 2025
Recruitment end date: December 31, 2025

Contact Details: 
If you are interested in participating in this study, please contact Research Coordinator, Monica Vaillancourt, at [email protected], or Primary Investigator, Dr. Dr. Deborah Da Costa, at [email protected].

Principal Investigator: 
Dr. Claire Barber

Research Host Institution: 
University of Calgary

Background: 
Researchers at the University of Calgary are inviting adults under rheumatology care to take part in a study about how we can better understand and respond to what patients experience. We’re exploring the use of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) – tools that collect information directly from patients about symptoms like pain, fatigue, sleep, mental health, and physical function, along with social factors like income, housing, and transportation. These are all important parts of your health, and we’re working to understand how they might be better incorporated into care in the future.

Purpose: 
If you choose to take part, you’ll be asked to share your thoughts in a one-hour interview (online or by phone) about collecting this kind of information in rheumatology care.

Eligibility Criteria:
Individuals are eligible to participate if they are 18 years or older under rheumatology care and have access to a device with internet or a telephone.

Participation Details:
Participants will be asked to share their thoughts about collecting PROMs in a 1-hour interview (online or by phone), which will take 1 hour.

Risks & Confidentiality: 
There are no known risks to participating in this study. The survey is hosted on Qualtrics, a Canadian survey platform. The consent form hosted on Qualtrics and the following survey responses are encrypted and stored on secure servers in Canada. Interviews will be done using the University of Calgary’s licensed version of Zoom as it is more secure.

Geographic Location: 
Alberta 

Recruitment start date: September 2, 2025
Recruitment end date: May 29, 2026

Contact Details: 
For more information, please contact the research team at [email protected].

This study has been approved by the University of Calgary Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board (REB24-1902).

Principal Investigator: Professor Marius Henriksen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark
Institution conducting the research: Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark

Collaborators: 

• Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark (Drs. Tanja Schjødt Jørgensen, Cecilie Bartholdy, Thomas Bandholm and Mathias Ried-Larsen)
• University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada (Drs. Lauren King and Esther Waugh)
• University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia (Prof. Kim Bennell)
• Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (Drs. Jos Runhaar and Dieuwke Schiphof)

What is the study about? 

Exercise and physical activity is important for a healthy life. However, many people with painful knee osteoarthritis have difficulties doing exercise and being physically active due to limitations caused by knee pain and other symptoms. But not all types of physical exercise limit all people, and many people ask for inspiration for ways of doing exercise despite having a painful knee.

This study aims to generate a catalogue of exercise types that are “knee-friendly” based on inputs from a large number of people with knee osteoarthritis from across the world. The catalogue will serve as an inspiration for people with knee osteoarthritis who can find activities that people with similar traits have rated as knee friendly.

This study is part of an international collaboration with surveys collected in Australia, Canada, Denmark and Holland. The research collaboration involves researchers from University of Melbourne, University of Toronto, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam and Copenhagen University Hospital. The research is funded by the Danish health insurance company Sygeforsikringen “danmark”.

Who can participate? 

People with painful knee osteoarthritis who are interested in sharing their experiences and/or thoughts about doing physical exercises in a “knee-friendly” way.

How do I know if I have knee osteoarthritis? 
If you have knee pain and your doctor has told you that you have osteoarthritis of the knee.

If you do not have a diagnosis from your doctor, you can participate if you

• Are 45 years or older, and
• Have knee pain with activity (e.g. walking, standing, exercising), and
• Have either no morning knee joint stiffness or morning knee joint stiffness that lasts no longer than 30 minutes

What will I have to do? 

This study consists of 3 phases

PHASE 1: 

Initially you will be asked to complete a questionnaire regarding eligibility.

Then, the survey will ask you to share your experiences and/or thoughts about physical exercises that you can imagine are feasible to engage in without provoking your knee symptoms to an unacceptable level. By unacceptable level, we mean that the exercise would cause symptoms that are severe and/or last for more than 24 hours.

Please be aware that it can be OK to do physical exercise with some knee pain, but the knee pain should be no more than mild-to-moderate. It is well established that exercise will reduce knee pain over time. The survey will take approximately 30 minutes.

PHASE 2: 

The experiences and thoughts generated by all the participants will collected in a list of exercises. This list will be reviewed by experts in osteoarthritis and exercise physiology and each proposed exercise will be labelled with a frequency, intensity and duration to meet the requirements for increasing health.

PHASE 3: 

The list will then be returned to the participants (you) who now will rate the exercises for “knee friendliness” based on the additional information from the experts. To be part of this phase, we need your email address, which you can provide in phase 1.

There is no in-person contact during this study. Consent, questionnaires, and list generation/review are completed online and via email contact. There are no known risks to participating in this study.

What are the benefits to participating? 

By participating you may get inspired by other participants to try new exercise types that you may find fun and beneficial for your health. Your participation will also provide wider benefits to the community by providing important information on how people like you can exercise despite having painful knee osteoarthritis and thereby maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.

Confidentiality: 

If you chose not to provide us with our email address in phase 1, you will remain 100 per cent anonymous, but cannot partake in Phase 3.

Only information necessary to meet the scientific goals of this study 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 Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark. For security issues, information that is transmitted will be sent securely via encrypted HTTPS connection, preventing interception by a third party.

Contact: 

You can contact the research group by sending us an email: exercise-catalogue.bispebjerg-frederiksberg-hospitaler@regionh.dk

Project Title: 
Pregnancy and People with Multiple Chronic Health Conditions

Lead Researchers: 
Dr. Hilary Brown (University of Toronto Scarborough), Dr. Joel Ray, (Unity Health Toronto), and Dr. Simone Vigod (Women’s College Hospital)

Research Team Members: 
Dr. Karen Campbell (York University), Dr. Eyal Cohen (The Hospital for Sick Children), Dr. Liz Darling (McMaster University), Dr. Cindy-Lee Dennis(University of Toronto), Dr. Sonia Grandi (The Hospital for Sick Children), Dr. Laura Rosella (University of Toronto), Dr. Catherine Varner (Mount Sinai Hospital), Dr. Jannah Wigle (University of Toronto Scarborough), and Dr. Walter Wodchis (University of Toronto).

Research Host Institution:
University of Toronto Scarborough

Background & Purpose:
In the general population, people with multiple chronic conditions are a high-risk group. They have greater acute care use and higher premature mortality than those with only one chronic condition. They often experience fragmented and uncoordinated health care. There is virtually no research or clinical guidance on the perinatal care of people with multiple chronic health conditions, with available evidence examining pregnant people with single, rather than co-occurring chronic conditions.

The Pregnancy and People with Multiple Chronic Health Conditions Study aims to create new knowledge about perinatal outcomes and care provision in individuals with multiple chronic physical and/or mental health conditions. We want to know about your pregnancy care experiences, including your care just before pregnancy, and during pregnancy, labour and birth, and the postpartum period.

Eligibility Criteria: 

You can participate in this study if you:

• Are 18 years or older;
• Have multiple chronic physical and/or mental health conditions; and
• Have had a pregnancy in the last 5 years.

Participation Details: 
If you agree to take part in the study, you will complete an interview. You can do the interview over secure video chat (Zoom) or telephone with a researcher who has experience in chronic illness and pregnancy. The interview will take about 60 minutes.

The interview will include questions about:

• The types of care you received before pregnancy, and during pregnancy, labour and birth, and the postpartum period;
• What you liked and disliked about these care experiences;
• What you think could have made them better; and
• What you think should change about pregnancy care for people who have multiple physical and/or mental health conditions.

The interview will be audio-recorded so that we don’t lose the details of our conversation. You will get a $50 electronic gift card to thank you for your time.

Risks & Confidentiality:
Some of the questions might make you feel upset or uncomfortable. If you become upset or uncomfortable while completing the interview, you can take a break. You do not have to answer any questions that you do not want to, and you can stop the interview at any time. The researcher will give you information on supports that may help you in case you feel upset or uncomfortable.It is possible that some of the things you share could have legal risks. Sharing what the researcher believes to be an immediate risk to your safety or others, including a child, could have legal risks.

Your information will be kept as private as possible. If you agree to take part in the study, the researcher will ask for your name, mailing address, email address, and telephone number. This information will only be used to reach you about this study. You will be given a code number so that your name will stay private and will not be stored on any of your paper or computer study forms. All paper forms will be kept in a locked filing cabinet in a locked office, and all computer forms will have a password. Your name will not be used with anything you said in the interview. The information that you share will be destroyed after 10 years.

Recruitment Start Date: March 1, 2025
Recruitment End Date: May 31, 2026

Contact Details: 
If you have any questions, you can contact the Study Lead, Dr. Jannah Wigle, at [email protected] or (647) 691-4122

For more information, check out the study recruitment flyer: Recruitment Flyer

Project Title: 
Preventing Damage to Mobility Devices During Air Travel

Research Team:
Dr. Tilak Dutta, Principal Investigator

Research Host Institution: 
University Health Network

Background: 
Travel is a human right and allows for equitable work, learning, and leisure opportunities away from home. Everyone should have access to a barrier-free travel experience. When travel is accessible for all, we can all enjoy a more inclusive society. Damage or loss of mobility devices (e.g., wheelchairs, mobility scooters) is a frequent challenge during the air travel journey.

Purpose: 
The purpose of this study is to explore potential causes of damage or loss of mobility devices during different parts of the air travel journey. We focus on damage or loss experiences that happened while flying in or out of a Canadian airport (including pre-travel, pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight activities) within the last five years. We hope to discover the causes of damage to mobility devices. We also want to learn about ways to reduce the risk of damage or loss of mobility devices.

Eligibility Criteria: 
You can participate in this study if:

• You identify as a person with a disability, and
• You travelled by plane (in/out of a Canadian airport) in the last 5 years, and
• Your mobility device was damaged or lost during a flight

Participation Details: 
Participation involves an online survey (approximately 10 minutes). For more information about the survey and to access the survey go to: engineeringhealth.ca/accessible-air-travel/

Risks:
You may feel fatigue and potential frustration from using technology which may arise from participating in the online study. You may feel emotional worry, or feelings such as anxiety, distress, embarrassment, or sadness due to the topics we cover in the survey questions. You may choose to skip optional questions.

Recruitment Start Date: January 17, 2025
Recruitment End Date: January 17, 2026

Contact Details: 
If you have questions, please contact Alison Whiting at [email protected] or (416) 597-3422 x 3357

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, [email protected].

Read the Invitation

Project Title:
The Effects of Cannabis Use on Quality of Life and Health Outcomes in Chronic Pain

Research Team:
Morgan Schaeffer and Dr. Theone Paterson

Research Host Institution: 
University of Victoria

Background: 
Chronic pain is associated with adverse physical, emotional, and cognitive outcomes, and reduced quality of life. Medical cannabis shows promise as a potential treatment option for pain and associated social and emotional difficulties.

Purpose: 
This study aims to better understand the impacts of chronic pain and cannabis use on quality of life and health outcomes in aging Canadians. We invite individuals who live with chronic pain and either use cannabis regularly or do not use cannabis to participate.

Eligibility Criteria: 
To be eligible, participants must:

• Reside in Canada
• Be at least 45 years old
• Experience chronic pain (constant or intermittent pain >3months)
• Have access to computer or full-size tablet device
• Either: 1) Use any cannabis product regularly (at least once a week) or 2) Have not used cannabis products in the past 10 years

Participation Details:
Participants will complete a brief phone screening to determine eligibility and then be asked to complete 1) a set of confidential online surveys (~45 minutes); and 2) an online cognitive assessment (~30minutes). Participants will receive a $20 e-gift card.

Risks & Confidentiality: 
You may experience some mild fatigue when completing the questionnaires and tasks. All information is anonymized and securely stored.

Study Recruitment Start Date: April 1, 2025
Study Recruitment End Date: January 31, 2026

Contact Details: 
To participate, email [email protected]
Website: https://brainlab.uvic.ca/cannabis-use-and-chronic-pain-study-information/

Project Title: 
Understanding Causes of Hospitalization for Patients Living with Arthritis

Research Team:
Dr. Cheryl Barnabe and Dr. Claire Barber

Research Host Institution: 
University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

Background: 
The investigator team is leading a large research study on emergency department (ED) utilization and hospitalizations by adult patients living with inflammatory arthritis (IA) conditions. One aspect of this study aims to qualitatively explore access to health services by patients living with IA conditions and underlying causes that may contribute to their hospitalization. The findings will be used to inform improvements in access to timely and appropriate care.

Purpose: 
We want to explore what led to the hospitalization of patients with inflammatory arthritis conditions. Specifically, we want to understand:
1) Which health services were accessed or attempted to be accessed
2) The factors (personal, systemic) impacting access to health care services
3) The sequence of events (flowchart) leading to hospitalization

Eligibility Criteria: 
You are invited to share your recent hospitalization experience if you:

• Have Rheumatoid Arthritis, Spondyloarthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, or Gout, and
• Have been hospitalized in Calgary for any reason in the past 3 months​

Participation Details: 
Participation in this study includes:

• One interview – conducted by phone or video conference (your choice)
• Interview duration: approximately 1-hour
• Interviews are scheduled at a date and time that works best for you
• Patients completing an interview will receive a $50 gift card

​Risks & Confidentiality:
Participation is entirely voluntary, and all information will be kept confidential in accordance with ethical research standards.

Recruitment Start Date: November 1, 2024
Recruitment End Date: December 31, 2025

Contact Details: 
Please contact the study’s research coordinator for more information.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (403) 210-9305