Grant: Catalyst Grant: eHealth Innovations

Bipolar disorder, previously known as manic-depression, is characterized by repeated episodes of depression and over-elated mood (known as mania or hypomania). The condition affects over half a million people in Canada and results in substantial costs to the health care system. Over recent years we have seen increasing interest in developing knowledge on quality of life in people with bipolar disorder. A clear argument can be made for why we should measure quality of life outcomes (as well as symptom outcomes) in clinical care and the routine self-management of the condition. We recently finished an intensive multi-year research project to develop a new questionnaire to measure quality of life specifically in people with bipolar disorder. We now seek to fully maximise the potential of these research findings by developing a web-based tool to help people with bipolar disorder and their healthcare providers to use this questionnaire in everyday life. The project will be conducted under the umbrella of the Collaborative RESearch Team to study psychosocial issues in Bipolar Disorder (CREST.BD; www.crestbd.ca), a unique CIHR-funded network that brings together researchers, healthcare providers and community members (people living with bipolar disorder, their family members and supports) to research and exchange knowledge about psychological and social factors in bipolar disorder. CREST.BD is currently the only team in the world specialising in a 'community-based participatory research' approach in the bipolar disorders field, where people with bipolar disorder and their healthcare providers are involved in each step of the research process.