Grant: Emerging Team Grant: Co-morb of brain disorders & other health problems-full

The CIHR Community Studies in Co-morbidities Team will bring together community partners and investigators from many disciplines to better understand mental health and addiction (MHA) co-morbidities. An innovative community-based approach will be used, involving use of a mobile research laboratory to collect data in a diverse set of communities. The overall objectives of the Team are to: assess the contributing roles of individual and community level factors on MHA co-morbidities in rural, high risk and other communities; integrate biological, social and behavioural science research to gain a better understanding of MHA co-morbidities; develop a database for a minimum of 20 communities collected at both the individual and community level that will form the basis of an ongoing community indicator system; evaluate the extent of unmet need related to co-morbidities in communities; and assess and improve the capacity of community services to respond to unmet need. To address these objectives, the team will support and coordinate pilot research using a mobile research laboratory in communities and coordinate full-scale projects developed from these pilot studies. Each study will include a common set of variables related to key measures of MHA, including: mood and anxiety disorders; violence; alcohol, marijuana and tobacco use and problems; burden of disabilities related to co-morbidities on individuals and their families; and biomarkers of stress. Community partners will take an active role in all phases of the research, and be especially important in applying research knowledge to improving health services and support systems. This community based approach will lead to a better understanding of causes and mechanisms of co-morbidity, increased sharing of findings among relevant disciplines, and strategies for improving prevention and treatment programs for those with co-morbid conditions.