Government of Canada works with partners to improve health services for
Canadians

FREDERICTON, March 1 /CNW Telbec/ - Women in New Brunswick stand to benefit from two new research projects - one that will test the effectiveness of peer support phone lines for new mothers, another that will evaluate a new health program for women who have left abusive relationships. These two projects are among 19 new health services research projects announced today by the Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of National Revenue, Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway, on behalf of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health.

"These research projects target important health issues facing Canadians and will provide results tailored to the needs of health policy decision-makers," said Minister Ashfield. "Our government is committed to working with our provincial and territorial counterparts, who are responsible for health care delivery, by supporting innovative, solution-based research."

The projects are funded through Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR)'s Partnership for Health System Improvement (PHSI) program, which aims to strengthen Canada's healthcare system through collaborative, applied and policy-relevant research. The Government of Canada is providing $6.3 million to support the 19 projects. Partners from across Canada are providing an additional $4.3 million. The projects were selected through a rigorous, independent, peer-review process.

"CIHR is increasing its focus on solution-based research and knowledge translation - that is, making users aware of new knowledge or innovations and facilitating their use," said Dr. Alain Beaudet, President of CIHR. "Knowledge translation programs like PHSI have a huge potential to pay Canadians a dividend on their investment in health research."

Two of the projects will be led by researchers at the University of New Brunswick. Dr. Nicole Letourneau will study telephone-based support programs for new mothers suffering from postpartum depression. Dr. Judith Wuest will investigate primary health care interventions for women who have left abusive partners.

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada's agency for health research. CIHR's mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to catalyze its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health-care system. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 13,000 health researchers and trainees across Canada. www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca

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For further information: Josée Bellemare, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, [phone]; David Coulombe, Media Relations, CIHR, [phone]; Natalie Montgomery, Communications and Marketing, University of New Brunswick, [phone]