Grant: Planning Grants - Priority Announcement: Health Services and Policy Research

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a type of irregular heartbeat when the upper or 'atrial' chambers of the heart beat irregularly. It is one of the most common kinds of irregular heartbeat and is known to affect over 350,000 Canadians. Once thought of as a minor health condition, it can be life threatening and increases the risk of stroke (brain attack) and poor heart functioning. It can also reduce peoples' quality of life and increase healthcare costs. AF mainly affects older people and is related to other chronic diseases and conditions such as heart failure and obesity. In rural and northern areas of Canada, the numbers of older people with chronic health conditions, such as AF, is rising steeply. Research is urgently needed to understand the experiences of patients with this condition, as well as identifying the challenges and solutions to providing effective healthcare for this population. Through this funding we will consult with a wide range of stakeholders, including those who deliver and plan services for people with AF, as well as patient and community groups. By doing this, we will be able to gather important 'real world' insights, identify research priorities and questions, and develop research partnerships. Following this, we will bring together key researchers and stakeholders for a focused planning meeting on March 30, 2013 in Vancouver, BC. During this, we will discuss the issues brought forward from the stakeholder consultations, develop a research plan, and prepare a research funding application. We will communicate the outcomes of these activities through our research plan and through short summaries that will be posted on relevant healthcare and patient websites. These planning activities and partnerships will be a foundation for further research to improve the experiences and outcomes of patients with AF and improve the way that healthcare services are delivered in rural and northern Canada.