Women and diversity health communication strategy

Funding opportunity

Researchers are invited to apply for a new grant funding opportunity sponsored by Canadian Forces Health Services (CFHS) Women and Diversity Health program (WDH) to conduct a study exploring approaches to optimize knowledge translation on equity-related health care policies and programs within the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). This project includes the development of a recommended communication and education strategy, approach, or framework for CFHS to utilize as needed.

Historically, opposition to equity-informed policies and programs has been shaped by perceptions of threat and reverse discrimination. This provides an opportunity for the improvement of communication strategies and educational interventions to support understanding, acceptance, and application of evidence-based health care for all members of the CAF. This project will explore opportunities for optimization of change management through communication and education by examining and identifying factors that influence perception and adoption within health care and military operational and planning environments.

Anticipated timeline and budget

Background:

Women and diverse populations have historically been under-researched in medicine, which has limited our knowledge of their unique health needs, including health risks, prevention, and treatment options. For these reasons, CFHS established the WDH program. The WDH program aims to optimize illness prevention and health care for women and members with diverse identity factors, using an intersectional lens, to improve their physical, mental, and psychosocial wellbeing. This is aligned with current governmental priorities and research literature.

Since its inception in 2022, the WDH program has focused on establishing relationships with stakeholders and partners to identify collaborative opportunities and minimize duplication of effort, as well as to identify opportunities for high priority research. This funding opportunity builds on past research funding awarded to address the gaps in knowledge related to the health of women and members with diverse identity factors.

Health is a fundamental human right. Health equity is achieved when everyone can attain their full potential for health and well-being. The central nature of equity to the CAF health system is demonstrated in strategy such as Foundations for Peace: Canada’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security – 2023 to 2029 which highlights that when meaningful inclusion is prioritized, lasting peace is more likely. The health of military women and members with diverse identify factors has consistently been highlighted as an operational priority by the Surgeon General. However, ineffective communication and education have the potential to inadvertently drive threat perception and reverse discrimination. An intentional, broad, and evidence-based communication and health education strategy is needed for CFHS to effectively optimize awareness, understanding, and adoption of new policies and programs. In developing their proposals, researchers are encouraged to consider combining research lenses such as knowledge translation, behavioral science, culture change management, research utilization, and implementation science. This funding opportunity is intended to improve the occupational and operational effectiveness of CAF members in the context of developing and implementing equity-driven health initiatives.

Research objectives:

This funding opportunity is seeking submissions from researchers to conduct a study and develop a strategy, approach, or framework to effectively communicate health programing and policies aimed at improving the health care of women and members with diverse identity factors in the CAF. Researchers are encouraged to consider combining methods to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the factors that impact adoption of equity-informed practices and initiatives within health care and military operational and planning environments.

Desired outputs:

• A study in the format of a report, which could include an Executive Summary, Abstract, Introduction, Document Review, Methods, Data analysis, Results, Discussion and References, and the other specifications described here. The research team is encouraged to publish their findings in one or more peer-reviewed publications. Any funds needed for publication should be accounted for in the budget.
• The report should address the following objectives:
  1. Conduct a broad review of evidence-based communication strategies to help inform the appropriate approaches for framework development; 
  2. Conduct broad consultation with:
     1. CAF members
     2. CFHS staff and health care providers
     3. CFHS leadership
     4. CAF leadership, and
     5. Other pertinent stakeholders
  3. Conduct consultation with health experts with relevant health communication experiences (e.g. public health communication addressing vaccination rates);
  4. Explore effective change management approaches taken by similar organizations to successfully accomplish broad and deep cultural change through management of threat perception;
  5. Describe the intersectional factors that influence the effectiveness of health equity communication, change management, and education strategies;
  6. Describe how different communication and education approaches influence threat perception related to health equity and identify approaches for improvement;
  7. Identify existing barriers and facilitators to effective equity-driven program and education adoption within the CFHS context;
  8. Identify opportunities to optimize awareness, knowledge, or understanding of the need for WDH-related health policies and programs within CFHS; and
  9. Develop a recommended change management approach, strategy, or framework to optimize development, adoption, and promotion within CFHS, with specific considerations for:
     1. CAF members
     2. CFHS staff and health care providers
     3. CFHS leadership
     4. CAF leadership, and
     5. Other pertinent stakeholders
• SAGER guidelines followed, with a detailed description of the GBA+ considerations. 
• Virtual presentation of findings to project sponsor (may take place after the project end date). 
• Knowledge translation products for the WDH program to utilize.
• Quarterly progress reports provided to the WDH program. 

Applicant qualifications and requirements:

• Principal investigator on the project must have a terminal degree (such as a PhD or EdD) in a relevant field. 
• An interdisciplinary research team is encouraged. Teams should also consider including members with experience in military healthcare and/or operational planning.
• All appropriate academic research guidelines must be followed, including a research ethics board approval from an accredited academic institution in Canada prior to funding being issued if applicable to the method(s) selected.
• Additional internal DND/CFHS approval will be required for research involving CAF members. A CFHS point of contact will be provided to facilitate this process once the research proposals are selected.
• All reports, publications, and presentations resulting from this funding opportunity are required to acknowledge that the research was carried out in response to a Funding Opportunity developed and funded by the CFHS WDH program.

Application form

Please download and submit the Research Funding Application form.

Applicants are advised to include eight weeks of administrative lead-time in their timelines. This will allow for ethics board submission and approval (if required), and the drafting and signing of the funding agreement.

Enquiries

Questions about this funding opportunity can be sent to the VAC Research office.