Identifying a global health/public health research agenda for self-care in chronic disease: A transdisciplinary, multi-sectoral global summit

Project Member(s): Adams, J., Steel, A., Peng, W.

Funding or Partner Organisation: Worldwide Universities Network (WUN Research Development Fund)
Worldwide Universities Network (WUN Research Development Fund)

Start year: 2023

Summary: We propose a 12-month program to identify, promote and progress a global health/public health research agenda on self-care in chronic illness. Self-care - the ability of individuals and communities to promote and maintain health, prevent disease and cope with illness with or without health-care provider support - has farreaching challenges and opportunities for health practice, policy and equity. Yet, research is yet to catch up. There is no coordinated or pronounced global health/public health research agenda on this topic and our extensive WUN team/institutions and related colleagues provide a unique capacity (expertise and resources) to lead/advance scholarship and real-life change in this area. Our program directly addresses a critial gap, producing a roadmap for research on self-care in chronic illness across low-to-mid-to-high income countries. Following initial online summit preparations and planning (1-5 months), the program will focus upon a face-to-face global research summit (to be held in London 6 months into program) bringing together transdisciplinary academic/non-academic experts to co-design a global research agenda for progressing thinking and empirical work on this critical topic. Summit will also identify various priority research projects to be refined/prepared (7-12 months) (including ethics approval) and then ultimately to be undertaken by project team beyond 12-month program outlined here. These later investigations, prepared in latter half of our program, will draw upon existing resources (chronic back pain and stroke survivorship databases/cohort studies at UTS) as well as expertise and track records across our WUN-led team and institutions. Outcome of program and summit will include co-authored White paper, academic publication and disseminating summit insights/outputs for a range of key audiences. Summit outcomes will also form platform for larger national and international grant applications by team.

FOR Codes: Public health (excl. specific population health), Primary care, Public health, Patient safety

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.