PaCER Team Projects

PaCER has supported over 35 projects since its inception in 2012. 

Current Projects


Honoring Life Teams

“Buffalo Seekers” - Understanding ways that engaging with culture helps Indigenous youth achieve wellness

 

 “Niitsitiapiiksi” - Understanding how traditional Indigenous values learned from Blackfoot Elder’s and Blackfoot methodologies can strengthen the connection between Blackfoot traditional practices and addictions recovery

 

Sponsored by: Alberta Health Services (AHS) Indigenous Wellness Core

Critical Care – “I See You” Team

Understanding the supports family caregivers of ICU patients need after discharge to enhance their participation in research

 

Sponsored by: Dr. Michael Goldfarb, Montreal Jewish General Hospital            Funded by : Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

“Raising up Rare” – Rare disease

Sponsored by: Svare Chair in Health Economics, Value and Impact (Deborah Marshall) Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation Chair in Pediatric Research (Francois Bernier)

Past Projects


2024

Vascular Cognitive Impairment- Understanding diverse perspectives on an educational video intended to raise awareness and knowledge of Vascular Cognitive Impairment (VCI)

Sponsored by: Dr. Eric Smith 
Funded by: Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

Healthcare Navigation- Understanding healthcare navigation in Alberta: What is important to healthcare navigators and to people who have been navigated in the Alberta healthcare system? 

Sponsored by: Alberta Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research SUPPORT Unit (AbSPORU)

2023

IBD and Mental Health – What mental health supports and resources are important to patients receiving an IBD diagnosis?

Sponsored by: Dr. Deborah Marshall; funded by: The IMAGINE (Inflammation, Microbiome, and Alimentation: Gastro-Intestinal and Neuropsychiatric Effects) Chronic Disease Network through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Alberta Health Services (AHS)

Maternal Health – Understanding parent perspectives about newborn screening for Cytomegalovirus (CMV)

Sponsored by: Dr. Eliana Castillo; funded by: Alberta Health Services (AHS) Maternal, Newborn, Child and Youth (MNCY) Strategic Clinical Network (SCN)

Pediatrics – Experiences of youth living with chronic auto-immune disease in attending or wanting to attend post-secondary education?

Sponsored by: Dr. Deborah Marshall; funded by: Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation Chair in Child Health Research (ACHRI), Husky Energy Chair i(HEC) in Child and Maternal Health

 

2022

Maternal Health – Patient and family experiences of adverse events in pregnancy in Canada from a multicultural perspective

Sponsored by: Dr. Rohan D’Souza, McMaster University; Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

Honoring Life Program How young Indigenous persons in Alberta want to be supported to live a life with continued, resilience, meaning and hope

Sponsor: Dr. Richard Oster and Alberta Health Services (AHS) Indigenous Wellness Core (IWC) 
Poster presentations 
2023 Northwest SPOR Collaborative Forum 
Citizen Science for Health Conference 2023

Long Covid - What are the barriers and supports to a return to health from long COVID? A qualitative project designed, developed, and conducted by people with lived experience of long COVID

Sponsor: Alberta Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) SUPPORT Unit (AbSPORU) and Alberta Health Services (AHS), Neuroscience, Rehabilitation and Vision (NRV) Strategic Clinical Network (SCN)
Presentations: 
Publications: Manuscript in progress

Virtual Care - Understanding Virtual Healthcare Experiences of Adults Living with Diabetes and their Caregivers in Alberta, Canada, during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Sponsor: Dr. Maria Santana; Alberta Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) SUPPORT Unit (AbSPORU) 
Presentations: 
Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation Conference, Lethbridge, June 20-23, 2023 
Metropolis Social Determinants of Health Conference, Gatineau, Quebec, 2023

Transition of Care - Experiences of Albertans from rural, remote, or isolated communities returning home after being hospitalized (H2H2H)

Sponsor: Tracy Wasylak; funded by: Alberta Health Services (AHS) Strategic Clinical Network (SCN) 
Presentations: Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation Conference, Lethbridge, June 20-23, 2023

 Emergency Care- Family Member and Caregiver Experiences: Waiting in Emergency Departments in Alberta Hospitals

Sponsor: Tracy Wasylak; funded by: Alberta Health Services (AHS) Strategic Clinical Network (SCN)

YYC Refugee Health- What are the experiences of newcomers accessing COVID-19 vaccine information and COVID-19 vaccines in Alberta during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Sponsor: Dr. Gabriel Fabreau; funded by: YYC Refugee Health through Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Alberta International Medical Graduate Association (AIMGA)
Presentations: NCRs 
Publications - Community participatory health research: the story of engaging migrant and racialized meat processing workers to reduce public health service inequities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under review Journal of Environmental Research & Public Health

 

2021

Youth and E-mental Health Tools – Are e-mental health tools working for youth?

Sponsor: Alberta Health Services (AHS) through the e-mental Health for Youth and Young Adults in Alberta Project team

Sponsor: Gina Dimitropolous; Alberta Health Services (AHS) through the e-Mental Health for Youth and Young Adults in Alberta Project team

Transition of care - Transitions from pediatric to adult rheumatology care for juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a patient-led qualitative study

Sponsor: Dr. Deborah Marshall; Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation (ACHF)

Inflammatory Bowel Disease - A patient-led, peer-to-peer qualitative study on the psychosocial relationship between young adults with inflammatory bowel disease and food

Sponsor: Dr. Deborah Marshall; funded by: The IMAGINE (Inflammation, Microbiome, and Alimentation: Gastro-Intestinal and Neuropsychiatric Effects) Chronic Disease Network through Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

 

2020

Accessing needed IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) resources and information post diagnosis: A patient-led Alberta study; sponsored by: Dr. Deborah Marshall; funded by: IMAGINE Network through CIHR

Here to there: Exploring what resources Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients need after diagnosis; sponsored by: Dr. Deborah Marshall; funded by: IMAGINE Inflammation, Microbiome, & Alimentation: Gastro-Intestinal & Neuropsychiatric Effects

Unplugging while plugged in: A peer-to-peer exploration of the impacts of dialysis on the mental wellness of patients with chronic kidney disease; sponsored by: Tracy Wasylak; funded by: Alberta Health Services (AHS) Kidney Health Strategic Clinical Network (SCN)

 

2018

The Search for Support: Young Adults and their Experiences finding their way with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD); sponsored by: Dr. Deborah Marshall; funded by: IMAGINE Inflammation, Microbiome & Alimentation Gastro-Intestinal & Neuropsychiatric Effects

Storytelling in the health care System: Experiences of Indigenous patients, their family and friends looking for support when cancer is diagnosed; funded by: Alberta Health Services (AHS) Population, Public and Indigenous Health Strategic Clinical Network (SCN)

Your Body, Your Voice: Cancer Screening on the Piikani Reserve, What Works and What Doesn’t; funded by: Alberta Health Services (AHS) Population, Public and Indigenous Health Strategic Clinical Network (SCN)

Sharing Our Cancer Journey Right from the Start: The Experiences of Métis Settlement Families; funded by: Alberta Health Services (AHS) Population, Public and Indigenous Health Strategic Clinical Network (SCN)

When first finding out that a loved one has cancer: The Experiences of Indigenous families and friends; funded by: Alberta Health Services (AHS) Population, Public and Indigenous Health Strategic Clinical Network (SCN)

Understanding Seniors’ Experiences Living with Malnutrition; funded by: Alberta Health Services (AHS) Seniors Health Strategic Clinical Network (SCN)

Understanding the Experiences of Patients and their Companions with Managing a Cardiopulmonary Condition; funded by: Alberta Health Services (AHS) Cardiovascular Health and Stroke Strategic Clinical Network (SNC)

 

2016

Experiences of people finding their way to manage from crisis to recovery; funded by: Alberta Health Services (AHS) Addictions and Mental Health Strategic Clinical Network (SCN)

Experiences of teens after concussion; sponsored by: ????; funded by: Integrated Concussion Research Program

Understanding parents’ experiences with stillbirth; funded by: Alberta Health Services (AHS) Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Youth Strategic Clinical Network (SCN)

 

2015

What is it like for young women who go to Emergency Departments with Chest Pain - the different tracks they take; funded by: the Libin Institute

Patient Experience with IBD and clinic services; funded by: the Calgary Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinic

Early stroke experience before the patient reaches the hospital door as part of project to reduce the time ‘from door to needle’; funded by: QuICR - an AIHS Collaborative Research & Innovations Opportunities (CRIO) Team grant

What is it like when you realize that you are just not thinking straight - the early experience with mental illness; funded by: Alberta Health Services (AHS) Addictions and Mental Health Strategic Clinical Network (SCN)

Why do patients decide to become engaged in Health Systems as advisers and researchers; funded by: Calgary South Health Campus

The rocky road and the gifts when couples manage chronic health concerns at home; funded by: St. Elizabeth Health Care, Toronto

 

2014

Transitioning from ICU - a patient and family perspective; funded by: Alberta Health Services (AHS) Strategic Clinical Network (SCN)

Experiences of Immigrant women (South American, Russian, and Middle Eastern) seeking diagnosis and support for cancer; funded by: Alberta Health Services (AHS) Strategic Clinical Network (SCN)

 

2013

The Hidden Pathways of Chronic Illness - the study of a cross section of chronic patients and their journey to wellness despite health concerns; funded by: the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement (CFHI)

Cancer survivors and their families at Wellspring - a Calgary-based community wellness community of self-help, programs, and services; funded by: the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement (CFHI)

 

2012

Hiding the pain - experiences of people with undiagnosed joint pain; funded by: the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement (CFHI)

Gates people face while waiting for Arthritis knee surgery; funded by: the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement (CFHI)

O Canada! Knee replacement - post-surgical experiences of older South Asian immigrants and their families; funded by: the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement (CFHI)