Grant: Summer Program in Aging

At least 1 in 3 people (2.4 billion people) globally will require rehabilitation at some point in their life, and the need for rehabilitation is increasing. However, this need for rehabilitation is largely unmet; many people worldwide who require rehabilitation do not receive these services. Consequently, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a call to strengthen access to rehabilitation as an essential part of universal health coverage globally. Back pain is the leading cause of disability and main reason for unmet rehabilitation needs in Canada and worldwide. These unmet rehabilitation needs greatly affect older adults with chronic conditions and complex functional limitations. Thus, unmet rehabilitation needs in older adults with back pain are key barriers to health and well-being. My research will monitor the burden and inform prevention strategies for unmet rehabilitation needs through the aims: 1) to determine the incidence and determinants (sociodemographic, health, behavioural factors) of unmet rehabilitation needs in older Canadians (aged 45-85 years) with back pain; and 2) to develop and validate a population risk tool to predict unmet rehabilitation needs in the older adult population with back pain. I will leverage national longitudinal data to understand the burden, determinants, and health inequities of unmet rehabilitation needs for back pain. This novel population risk tool will guide optimal prevention strategies and health care planning. This research will have unique contributions and policy impact to improve the health of older Canadians, and incorporates the perspectives of a diverse advisory committee, including persons with lived experience. The Summer Program in Aging is strongly aligned with this research and will elevate my career path by strengthening my expertise (i.e., multidisciplinary and methodological approaches, EDI and SGBA+ considerations, policy, knowledge mobilization) and network in the area of Longer-living Older Adults.