2025 Barer-Flood Prize in Health Services and Policy Research
Recognizing and supporting research excellence among Canadian Senior-Career Investigators working within Health Services and Policy Research
The CIHR Institute of Health Services and Policy Research (CIHR-IHSPR) is pleased to announce that Dr. Jill Hayden is the recipient of the 2025 Barer-Flood Prize in Health Services and Policy Research for her project titled “Development and implementation of an exercise prescription toolkit for the management of chronic low back pain (ExRX Study)”.
The Barer-Flood Prize is named in honour of the leadership, vision and innovative contributions of the first two Scientific Directors of CIHR-IHSPR, Drs. Morris Barer and Colleen Flood. In their roles as Scientific Directors, Dr. Barer and Dr. Flood made tremendous contributions towards advancing the field of health services and policy research in Canada, building a community of world-class researchers, and designing innovative new programs that foster evidence-informed decision making and improved health and health care for Canadians.
The Barer-Flood Prize recognizes and supports research excellence among Canadian Senior-Career Investigators and is awarded to the highest ranking Senior-Career Investigator in CIHR’s Project Grant competition working within the mandate of IHSPR. This prize is a supplemental grant to support research and/or knowledge mobilization.
In recognizing and supporting research excellence, IHSPR Career Awards are a key strategy to help advance IHSPR’s 2021-26 Strategic Plan: Accelerate Health Care System Transformation through Research to Achieve the Quadruple Aim and Health Equity for All and CIHR’s 2021-31 Strategic Plan: A Vision for a Healthier Future.
About the Recipient
Dr. Jill Hayden
Dr. Jill Hayden is Professor in the Department of Community Health & Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, at Dalhousie University. She leads the Back Pain Evidence Synthesis & Translation Program research team, with local, national and international collaborators. Dr. Hayden’s research experience and expertise include evidence synthesis methods, knowledge translation and implementation science and musculoskeletal health, with a focus on prognosis and treatment of chronic low back pain.
Chronic low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of disability globally and a major public health concern in Canada. Exercise is amongst the most effective treatments. However, exercise strategies can be complex and challenging to implement. Providers often face difficulties prescribing exercise programs and exercise adherence tends to be low among patients with chronic LBP. Dr. Hayden and her team recently secured CIHR funding to develop and implement an accessible LBP management toolkit for healthcare providers and their patients living with chronic low back pain, with the goal to bolster practitioner confidence in prescribing exercise for their patients with chronic LBP and support patient engagement in evidence-supported exercise programs, thus improving patient outcomes. The toolkit also has the potential to enhance the delivery of patient-centered care and improve patient-provider alliance.
- Date modified: