Impact Report 2017–2025: Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis

The impact of our Institute over the past 8 years is grounded in community. We only achieve impact through people, the conversations we have, and the trusted relationships we develop^{Footnote 1}.The success of our initiatives has depended on the collective energy of those of you working within the IMHA mandate, and so this impact report celebrates your efforts from these research communities: active living, mobility and the wide range of conditions related to bones, joints, muscles, connective tissue, skin, mouth, teeth and craniofacial region.

Between 2018 and 2020, over 1,100 people contributed to the Institute listening tour which was based on the 8-step Gibson Mitton Framework and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis^{Footnote 2}. This approach aimed to be transparent, systematic and ethical, and generated a “living” strategy document that has continued to be shaped by community and partnerships.

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research endorses the Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA)^{Footnote 3} and IMHA strives to take an inclusive approach to excellence both through funding and other activities. Thus, when viewing the impact of our own work we need to use a lens that extends beyond traditional metrics—a lens that includes health, economic and social benefits.^{Footnote 4Footnote 5} We recognize that impact depends on the internalized biases of the authors and must be considered transient— the importance of past work can shift depending on subsequent circumstances.^{Footnote 6}

In this report, we consider impact through various mechanisms, drawing on a broad menu of metrics, visuals and impact stories. The aim of the narratives is to allow nuanced and integrated perspectives.^{Footnote 7} IMHA has advanced scientific excellence by tailoring funding opportunities and other initiatives to the diverse needs of the research communities under our mandate; building capacity in inclusive, high-quality and practical research methodologies; building collaborative partnerships; and furthering our existing strengths in patient engagement.

We report under three pillars that combine to foster high-quality research:

• Nurture Leaders

  A key element of the IMHA strategic plan^{Footnote 8} related to the “Capacity Building” metrics proposed by the Canadian Academy of Health Science (CAHS) 2009 report on research impacts.

• Collaborations

  Aspirational indicator under “Capacity Building” of CAHS report.

• Metaresearch

  Recognizing our role in bolstering the rigour and impact of health research and funding mechanisms.

Cross-cutting these three pillars is the core ethos of patient engagement. In 2003, IMHA became the first CIHR Institute to formalize a connection with patients in research (“Research Ambassadors”). From 2017-2025 our efforts have been to see patients as research partners and to build a model of patient leadership. This is part of a paradigm shift towards a “new power” approach defined by connection, peer-to-peer learning, methods informed by lived and learned experiences, and the broader environmental context of our work.^{Footnote 9} Aiming to better share our power with the communities that we serve amplifies the layers of impact we can have.

Final version of the Impact Report 2017-2025

If you would like to request the document in a different format (e.g., Microsoft Word Doc), please email CIHR-IMHA via IMHA-IALA@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.

Date modified:

2025-09-17