Overview
According to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), “Patient-oriented research is about engaging patients, their caregivers, and families as partners in the research process. This engagement helps to ensure that studies focus on patient-identified priorities, which ultimately leads to better patient outcomes.”
The Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) studies at Foundry embody this definition by engaging youth to understand their needs. Too often, research projects define outcomes that youth do not find useful or relevant. With the SPOR studies, the team is asking youth about their definitions of health and wellness and what they look like to them. The results will be used to develop future projects, Foundry services and measures fit for youth.
The SPOR studies are led by Dr. Skye Barbic (Head Scientist at Foundry and Associate Professor at University of British Columbia) and Dr. Steve Mathias (Co-Executive Director at Foundry and Clinical Associate Professor at University of British Columbia).
Card 2: Funders
The SPOR studies are funded by CIHR and a private donor.
Resources
- Barbic SP, Leon A, Manion I, Irving S, Zivanovic R, Jenkins E, Ben-David S, Azar P, Salmon A, Helps C, Gillingham S, Beaulieu T, Pattison R, Talon C, Oyedele O, Tee K, Mathias S. (2019). Understanding the mental health and recovery needs of Canadian youth with mental health disorders: A Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) collaboration protocol. International Journal of Mental Health Systems. 13:6.
- Barbic SP, Warren C, Marchand K, Beggs T, Tsou S, Smit B, Lockhart L, Turuba R, Mathias S, Ben-David S. (2025). “My day is already planned out before I even get to choose it”: Using youth-oriented research to understand and measure what matters to youth aged 12-15 years and the implications for mental health services. Child Psychiatry & Human Development. In press.
- Ow N, Zivanovic R, Tee K, Mathias S, Barbic SP. (2024). Health through the eyes of youths: A qualitative study. Frontiers in Public Health. 12:1271215.
- Warren C, Beggs T, Tsou S, Woodburne R, Marchand K, Barbic S. (2023). Uncovering what mental health and recovery means to youth ages 12-15: A deliberative dialogue. Workshop handout presented at Frayme, February 22-23, 2023, Vancouver, Canada.