Grant: Operating Grant: Knowledge to Action

For people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the period shortly after the diagnosis is often filled with uncertainties and anxiety as they are searching for information to make treatment decisions. The objective of this 'Knowledge-to-Action' project is to improve people's ability to engage in shared decision-making about their treatments, and their knowledge and skills to become more effective users of healthcare resources. We will develop and evaluate an Animated, Self-serve, Web-based Research (ANSWER) tool for these patients. This tool will combine the best evidence of treatment options, the contextual information about how people make healthcare decisions, and the concept of Effective Consumers. The content, storyline, and animation for the ANSWER tool will be developed through the collaboration of researchers/members of 6 disciplines (clinical and health services research; social and information sciences, knowledge translation, and graphic design/animation production) and stakeholders from the arthritis community. The final product will be uploaded to The Arthritis Society website for public access and evaluation. We envision that the ANSWER tool will help accelerate the dissemination of knowledge and skills necessary for people with RA to manage their health at the early stage of their disease. Furthermore, this innovative project will provide the common ground for individuals who have not engaged in arthritis research to develop new collaborations with stakeholders in this field, including non-profit organizations (e.g., The Arthritis Society), patient/consumer organizations (e.g., Canadian Arthritis Patient Alliance), and healthcare organizations (e.g., Mary Pack Arthritis Program).