About PHIRIC
Context
Canadians are proud of their health care system, but what we lack is a sufficiently resourced and sustainable prevention system. Such a system would generate and use relevant knowledge to inform program interventions, resource distribution approaches and healthy public policies. A prevention system is explicitly dedicated to reducing the incidence of disease and disability and to addressing the fundamental disease risk factors and conditions above and beyond delivering clinical preventive measures in, for example, primary care. To more effectively reduce the burden of chronic disease, reduce health inequities and create a healthy population, new kinds of knowledge and practice intelligence are needed to enable continuous learning. This knowledge is generated from population health intervention research, which seeks to develop and implement solutions.
Efforts to advance population health intervention research have been underway for some time, but not necessarily in a coordinated way. As such, the Population Health Intervention Research Initiative for Canada (PHIRIC) was established to bring a more coherent focus and plan to these efforts. PHIRIC aims to increase the quantity, quality and use of population health intervention research through a strategic and deliberate alignment of initiatives by key organizations responsible for public health research, policy and practice. PHIRIC is guided by a strategic alliance of individuals and organizations who develop plans to facilitate the necessary alignment of organizational priorities, investments and activities.
Vision
To continuously improve population health interventions and ultimately contribute to the health of Canadians by promoting better integration of research and evaluation.
Guiding Principles
A number of core principles underpin PHIRIC's vision and guide its goals, objectives and strategies:
- The public good
- Ethics and integrity
- Accountability and transparency
- Collaboration
- Equity and inclusiveness
- Evidence-informed continuous learning and decision-making
- Innovation
Goal
To increase the quantity, quality and use of population health intervention research.
Strategic Objectives
- Advance the science of population health intervention research
- Strengthen Canada's capacity to conduct and use relevant population health intervention research for policy and practice
- Enhance Canada's contribution to the global knowledge base on population health interventions through continuous learning and international collaborations
- Champion population health intervention research and enhance its profile
Governance
PHIRIC's activities are supported through a Planning Committee and four Working Groups.
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