Bridging the gap: Utilizing new technology to put research to action

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Dr. Linda Li
Arthritis Research Centre of Canada
University of British Columbia

Improving people's health outcomes is an ultimate objective of health research; however, this can only be reached if the new knowledge can reach patients and health professionals when and where it is used. Improving the use of research in arthritis care is a goal of Dr. Linda Li, an Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia and Research Scientist at the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada. Dr. Li's work focuses in two areas: models of care in the management of arthritis, and the development and evaluation of knowledge translation strategies.

Her interest in arthritis research began early when she was finishing her Masters in Physical Therapy. She also worked as a physiotherapist at The Arthritis Society in Ontario, where she witnessed the detrimental effect of arthritis on patients and what timely and appropriate treatment can do to improve their quality of life. In her research, Dr. Li has observed a persistent gap between what we know about arthritis and the actual use of this knowledge by professionals and patients. She became convinced that good clinical outcomes can only happen when quality research is applied in clinical care and health policy decisions.

When asked about the importance of knowledge translation (KT) in research Dr. Li explains;

"We have effective treatment for common types of arthritis such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. We know that exercise and weight management reduce pain and improve function in people with arthritis and can reduce the risk of osteoarthritis, but yet, about two-thirds of people with osteoarthritis in British Columbia are inactive. We also know that it is important for people with rheumatoid arthritis to start medical treatment early, yet less than half of patients received DMARDs over a 5 year period. We have the knowledge, but most of our patients are not benefiting from it in real life."

Dr. Li's research seeks to understand, develop and evaluate ways to bridge this gap. Her research incorporates innovative ways to provide 'just-in-time' information, including the use of digital media tools to improve dissemination and uptake of current research.

Dr. Li is currently an investigator on the IMPAKT-HiP study, a 5-year, $2.5 Million project funded by the CIHR Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis to study the cause of hip pain and its link to osteoarthritis. This comprehensive study will reveal if hip pain is caused by certain physical activities, femoroacetabular impingement, or the combination of the two. She leads two teams as part of the study; the first is investigating the prevalence of femoroacetabular impingement in three populations in Canada: Caucasian, Chinese, and Aboriginal Peoples in BC. This team will determine if prevalence in the three populations differs. The second team is Knowledge Translation. The goal of this team is to inform and engage the public, participants and stakeholders about the IMPAKT-HiP study. Using her expertise in KT, Dr. Li and her colleague has developed a comprehensive communications strategy that spans over this 5-year project.