Want to better understand how the health and social systems work and how you can better advocate for changes that would improve these systems for you and your family? Enhance your knowledge with one of our free courses for citizens:
Finding and using research evidence: A guide for citizens
In this free online course, you’ll be provided with solutions to overcome the most commonly cited frustrations people have when trying to access research evidence. Prepared by the McMaster Health Forum with support from the Ontario SPOR SUPPORT Unit, the course is now available online as a set of eight videos:
Here are helpful resources that are drawn on in the course:
- Definitions for word and phrases used in the modules
- How to make sure health information is trustworthy
- Links to online sources mentioned in the modules
Don’t miss the most important resource for citizen-targeted evidence about healthy aging:
Understanding how to navigate the health system
Knowing how your health system works will better you to navigate the system, identify opportunities to make things better, and advocate for changes that you’d like to see. This free online course describes the 'building blocks' of Ontario’s health system as well as how those building blocks are used to provide care in the province in different ways (e.g., by sector, condition, treatment, population). While Ontario is the example, these principles are useful to understanding health systems other jurisdictions in Canada and internationally.
Prepared by the McMaster Health Forum with support from the Ontario SPOR SUPPORT Unit, the course is now available online as a set of six videos:
Here are helpful resources that are drawn on in the course:
- Free download of chapters from Ontario’s Health System: Key Insights for Engaged Citizens, Professional and Policymakers. The Ontario book is also helpful in understanding other health systems
Don’t miss the most important resource for citizen-targeted evidence about healthy aging:
Masterclass on patient-oriented research
The Forum’s masterclass was designed to prepare future champions for the conduct and use of patient-oriented research and future mentors to others becoming involved in the conduct and use of patient-oriented research. While we are not currently planning any sessions for the masterclass on patient-oriented research, you can access all of the course material to learn more about patient-oriented research.
Public invited to learn how to use new aging portal
Two public webinars are scheduled to help citizens, caregivers and others learn how to make the best use of the newly launched McMaster Optimal Aging Portal.
The first webinar on October 15 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time), will be facilitated by Anthony Levinson, who led the design and oversees the ongoing development of the Portal, which was created in order to offer direct and easy access to evidence-based information about how to stay healthy, active and engaged as we grow older.
The webinar is designed to help citizens learn how to use this innovative online resource to find the best available research evidence about issues related to optimal aging that they face in their own lives. Levinson will describe the content of the Portal that is designed specifically for citizens, how it can be helpful, and the many ways that searches can be run in order for users to find the most relevant information.
The webinar can be accessed by anyone with an internet connection.
The second webinar on October 21, also from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time), will provide more in-depth information on how the content designed for citizens is evaluated and presented on the Portal. This webinar will be facilitated by Maureen Dobbins, a McMaster professor who leads the work on two of the key types of Portal content designed to engage citizens – Web Resource Ratings and Blog Posts.
Web Resource Ratings are evaluations of various types of information on aging that are freely available on the internet. Staff with the Portal review consumer-friendly items such as videos, information sheets, blogs and podcasts, then assess them for quality and relevance and assign then a star rating from one to five, before linking to them from the Portal. This feature is designed to help citizens sort through the masses of health-related information on the internet to identify only the most high-quality, trustworthy and reliable information about optimal aging.
Blog Posts are commentaries using the most recent evidence on topics specific to optimal aging.
Levinson and Dobbins are two of the five key contributors to the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal. Levinson is an associate professor at McMaster University, researches online teaching and learning, and studies how to use technologies like the internet to improve health education. Dobbins is a professor in the School of Nursing and scientific director of the National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools. Her research focuses on knowledge translation and evidence-informed decision making among public health decision-makers in Canada.
- McMaster Forum
