Participate in Research
Research Is the Future of Care
At BC Children’s Hospital, more than 1,000 top medical researchers are looking for new ways to prevent and treat diseases and push the limits of what’s possible. But they can’t do it alone.
When you and your family take part in research, you are helping us:
- Improve treatments and find cures
- Transform care with breakthrough technologies
- Gain new insight into child health and development
- Build healthier communities through improved prevention, policy, and practice
View our Participate in Research brochure in: العربية (Arabic) | English | 日本語 (Japanese) | فارسی (Persian) | ਪੰਜਾਬੀ (Punjabi) | 简体中文 (Simplified Chinese) | Español (Spanish) | Tagalog | ትግርኛ (Tigrigna) | 繁體中文 (Traditional Chinese) | اردو (Urdu) | Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
Become a Patient Partner
Patient and family engagement is the process of designing, planning, developing, and evaluating research projects in close collaboration with researchers. Individuals who engage with research teams in this way are called patient partners. Patient involvement in research leads to improved quality of care and a health-care system that better reflects the needs of those it serves.
Learn more by clicking the link below and reading: “‘Nothing About Me Without Me’: What Is Patient Engagement and How Can It Transform Health Care?”
Learn More
Featured Opportunities
Interested in participating in a research study? Check out some of our current research opportunities below.
Vanderwal Lab
Are you a teen living with a psychiatric diagnosis? The Vanderwal lab at BCCHR is looking to recruit youth between the ages of 11–17 to join a research study on the effects of music listening on the brain and body. Participants, along with a parent or guardian, will attend a 2-hour study visit at BCCH. The study involves no medication, radiation, or blood draws. A $40 cash compensation will be provided.
Boerner Lab
The Boerner lab at BCCHR is conducting a study to learn from parents and caregivers about how their children communicated with health-care providers while staying at BCCH.
If you’re a caregiver of children who was unable to speak (past or present) and were admitted to the BCCH Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), T6, T7, and Acute Rehabilitation Unit (ARU) within the past year, the team would like to hear from you.
Vanderwal Lab
The Vanderwal lab at BCCHR is looking to recruit youth between the ages of 6–12 to join a research study on the effects of watching movies on the brain. Participants, along with a parent or guardian, will attend two sessions visit at BCCH (approximately three hours each). The study involves no medication, radiation, or blood draws. Compensation will be provided as gratitude for participation.
Doan Lab
The Doan lab at BCCHR is conducting an online interview study to improve how suicidal thoughts are measured in youth mental health research. The study will take place for approximately one hour via Zoom. If your child (ages 10–17) has experienced any suicidal thoughts within the past year, the team would like to hear from them.
BCCH BioBank
Are you or your child being cared for at either BC Children’s Hospital or BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre? You can further medical research in a wide-range of areas by donating samples, such as blood, to the BC Children’s Hospital BioBank. A single biospecimen could fuel many research projects, any one of which might lead to an important medical breakthrough.
All samples are collected through routine medical procedures. You will not be asked to make appointments for additional procedures to donate to the BioBank. Patient confidentiality is protected by the BioBank, and personal information will never be released to anyone outside of the BioBank.
Questions?
- For more information on donating samples, contact us by phone or email at 604-875-2000 ext. 6423 or biobank@cw.bc.ca.
Mah Lab
We are developing a study to understand how cultural background relates to parents’ decision-making process regarding treatment for ADHD. Study results could help improve clinical services for children with ADHD.
By gaining a better understanding of what beliefs encourage parents to seek some types of treatment, this can help service providers tailor their treatment recommendations to the needs of different families and deliver more culturally competent services. This is a joint collaboration between clinical child psychology researchers at BC Children’s Hospital and UBC.
Visit the ADHD Study page for more information and to fill out our survey.
Questions?
- If you’d like to learn more about the ADHD study, please contact jmah@bcchr.ca and mikami@psych.ubc.ca.
Pediatric OCD and Psychiatry (POP) Research Program
Interested in a different approach to treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)? We’re recruiting for a 12-week randomized controlled clinical trial of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory celecoxib as an add-on to current usual treatment in children and youth ages 7-18 years.
The study is based at BC Children’s Hospital and is accessible to families throughout B.C. through virtual visits. It includes monthly assessments of OCD and other symptoms with a physician from our team. Participants receive $25 after study visits and $50 following completion.
Visit the ACE-OCD Study page for more information.
Questions?
- If you’d like to learn more about the Adjunctive CElecoxib in Childhood-Onset OCD (ACE-OCD) study, please reach out to aceocd@bcchr.ca.
BC Children’s Hospital
Is your child experiencing pain and you don’t know why? Our researchers are looking for children between the ages of six months and 18 years with neurological problems who cannot communicate verbally about their pain. The study aims to improve the management of ongoing, unexplained pain and irritability in children with severe neurological impairment.
Did you know that preeclampsia is the leading cause of maternal mortality and preterm birth? You can help with preeclampsia research without having experienced a hypertensive disorder during pregnancy. The Preeclampsia Registry is currently recruiting women to serve as controls — your “normal” pregnancy will benefit researchers dedicated to helping women have healthy pregnancies without long-term consequences.
Sunny Hill Health Centre
Connecting for Care is a collaborative project between the University of Manitoba (the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba) and the University of British Columbia, designed to collect data on how people with expertise in child development and rehabilitation engage in knowledge translation.
The overall goal is to improve access to safe and effective health care for families. Findings will be used to implement strategies to move knowledge into action and support health-care-to-family connections.
Visit our study page to learn more.
The study includes three phases:
- A national survey for any health-care providers, researchers, families, and knowledge translation personnel in Canada who work with or support children with disabilities and their families
- Interviews with a subset of survey respondents
- A national consensus process to generate recommendations to support knowledge translation (moving knowledge into action).
BC Children’s Hospital Digital Lab
Immersive and emerging technologies in pediatrics: Developing patient-centered priorities for research and development.
Study Purpose
When not addressed, bad hospital experiences can cause issues with coping and avoidance of medical care. New technologies can help patients and their families have a better experience at the hospital. We are exploring how emerging and immersive technologies can be used to learn about upcoming appointments and procedures, and cope with pain and anxiety.
Estimated Time Commitment
~2 hour interview
What’s Involved
After completing an expression of interest form online, selected participants will be invited to an online or in-person interview at BC Children’s Hospital. They will select an anxiety-provoking experience most meaningful to them and create a journey map of their ideal-state experience. The research will provide participants an opportunity to voice their views on their health-care experiences and how they would like this to be dealt with (or not) using technology.
Compensation
Compensation is provided in the form of a $40 gift card.
Reimbursement of expenses
For participants who travel to BC Children’s Hospital (4480 Oak Street, Vancouver V5Z 4H4), parking reimbursement will be provided.
Opportunity Location
Vancouver Island / Coast, Lower Mainland, Thompson – Okanagan, Kootenay, Cariboo, North Coast and Nechako, Northeast
Principal Investigator
John Jacob, MBA, BA, MSc
Digital Lab, BC Children’s Hospital
john.jacob@ubc.ca
Inclusion criteria:
- Teenagers, 14-18 years old; OR
- Caregivers of children and teenagers 0-18 years old AND
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Patient experience with one of the following in the last year:
- Having surgery or medical imaging
- Treatment for conditions involving the heart, bone, muscles, brain, spinal cord, sensory system, or pain lasting longer than 3 months
- Rehabilitation at a hospital for any condition
- Have stayed in the hospital for 14+ days
Exclusion criteria:
- Participants who are not fluent in English and/or do not reside in Canada will be excluded from the study.
Participate
- Please be advised that not everyone who expresses interest will be selected to join the study as the study uses quota-based sampling.
- In-person interviews will only be available for those residing in the Lower Mainland, as they will be held at BC Children’s Hospital. For participants residing outside of this area, online interviews over Zoom will be conducted.
- Please click on the button below to fill out our Participant Eligibility & Screening Form.
Your Right to Participate in Research at BC Children’s Hospital
What is the Right to Participate in Research?
All patients at PHSA facilities regardless of their race, ethnic background, disease type/condition, geographic location, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, beliefs, and abilities have the right to participate in and benefit from science advancement.
PHSA conducts and supports world-class research as part of its mandate to improve the health system and the health of British Columbians. At BC Children’s Hospital we recognize that research is an important part of what we do to improve care.
Research requires participation from diverse population to make research findings generalizable and more applicable to clinical care. We are therefore taking steps to ensure that all patients are contacted in a respectful capacity about research opportunities that require their consent and may be of interest to them.
Who can access my information?
Respecting your privacy is a key priority. Access to patient information for the purpose of informing our patients about research opportunities is strictly controlled and limited to internal studies that have obtained both research ethics board and institutional approvals from BC Children’s Hospital and Sunny Hill Health Centre. Information is only shared with approved research teams in accordance with the BC Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Oversight is provided by the Right to Participate Initiative team established by the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR), the dedicated research arm of BC Children’s Hospital.
What information can PHSA access?
In order to send research opportunities that we feel are most relevant to you, PHSA will use your contact information, such as:
- Your/your child’s name
- Your/your child’s home mailing address
- Your/your child’s email address
- Your/your child’s phone number
PHSA may have access to additional information to help determine whether or not a study is relevant to you, including:
- Your/your child’s demographic information such as gender, sex, race, ethnicity, and age
- Your/your child’s diagnosis
Please note that your/your child’s information will only be used for the purpose of determining whether or not a study is relevant to you/your child and to send those study opportunities to you/your child. Your/your child’s personal information will not be used or included in any research study where consent is required, unless we receive written consent from you confirming your participation.
How could I be approached for research studies?
PHSA conducts research activities as permitted by law. There are different ways that you can be approached for studies for which you are eligible to participate:
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During a clinic visit:
- You/your child may be approached by a research team member during a clinic visit.
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During my stay at the hospital:
- You/your child may be approached by a research team member while admitted to the hospital.
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Outside of the hospital:
- You may be contacted by a research team member after you’ve left the hospital.
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You may receive invitations to participate in research by:
- Text message
- Phone calls after initial information has been sent by mail, email, or text message
Can I choose to not participate?
Yes. Participating in research that requires your consent is always your choice and the decision to participate in a research study will NOT impact the care you and your child receive at BC Children’s Hospital.
How is my privacy protected?
BC Children’s Hospital is committed to respecting personal privacy, safeguarding confidential information, and ensuring the security of personal information in our custody or under our control. Your personal information is respectfully managed in accordance with the authorities within the BC Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, as well as PHSA’s established privacy and security policies.
If you have any questions about your privacy or how your personal information is managed under this initiative, please contact the PHSA Privacy Office: privacy@phsa.ca
I’ve been contacted about a research study and would like more information. Who do I contact?
Please direct all questions about the study to the Study Coordinator listed in the study invitation or consent form.
Who can I contact for general information about research at BC Children’s Hospital?
View our Participate in Research brochure in: العربية (Arabic) | English | 日本語 (Japanese) | فارسی (Persian) | ਪੰਜਾਬੀ (Punjabi) | 简体中文 (Simplified Chinese) | Español (Spanish) | Tagalog | ትግርኛ (Tigrigna) | 繁體中文 (Traditional Chinese) | اردو (Urdu) | Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
Specific questions about how your personal information may be used to support research activities can be directed to rtp@cw.bc.ca.
Our Research
At BC Children’s, we are making discoveries that save lives and transform health care for children in our province and around the world. Our research portfolio includes basic, clinical, population, and public health research.
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With your support, we believe there’s nothing we can’t do. Funding helps bring hope out of the laboratory and into the clinic — to save and improve children’s lives.
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