Ebetsu Active Future Study (EAFS) conducts comprehensive annual surveys of individuals who are independent in activities of daily living (ADLs) to track age-related physical and mental changes. These surveys include a variety of assessments such as cognitive function tests, physical function tests, blood tests, self-administered questionnaires about lifestyle and health, and interviews regarding medical and family history. In addition, serum, plasma and DNA samples from these assessments are stored at –80°C to facilitate future analyses and accommodate the potential addition of new measurement items. The purposes of this study are: (1) to identify potential blood-based biomarkers applicable to the detection of various types of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), (2) to explore diet-based strategies for preventing MCI and the progression of dementia, (3) to examine the relationship between urban characteristics, individual attributes and healthy life expectancy in Ebetsu City and (4) to return the research findings to the city.

From August to October 2023, EAFS invited Ebetsu residents to participate in the study. As a result, 1340 individuals applied and 1189 residents aged between 55 and 75 years who were independent in ADLs participated in the baseline survey for the first year.

EAFS initiated a follow-up of 1189 participants (38.9% male; 64.5±5.6 years) in the baseline year of 2023 and maintained a high follow-up rate of 98.5% by wave 3 (2025). The Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Japanese demonstrated that 53.6% of the participants had operational MCI. The proportion of participants with operational MCI increased with ageing. Regarding the APOE4 gene, which is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, 1.2% of the total population were homozygous carriers and 22.1% were heterozygous carriers.

EAFS will conduct annual follow-up surveys until 2032. In addition to analysing data for each objective, we also plan to perform further analysis of the stored specimens.

Canada’s health workforce crisis is placing sustained pressure on primary care, particularly in the management of chronic pain, mental health conditions and substance use disorders. Mentoring is a compelling response to workforce, educational and well-being challenges in healthcare, and Adaptive Mentorship Networks (AMNs) have emerged in Canada as an interprofessional model to strengthen provider capacity, psychological safety and compassionate care. Despite widespread interest and demonstrable effectiveness, the determinants that influence successful implementation, spread, adaptation and sustainability of AMNs remain insufficiently understood.

This 3-year mixed-methods protocol will evaluate implementation of 11 AMNs that are established or in development across Canada. The study will focus on two complementary levels: (1) implementation of AMNs within healthcare ecosystems; and (2) capabilities, opportunities and motivations that contribute to adaptive mentorship between mentors and mentees. The overarching approach to understand the determinants of successful implementation and behavioural influences on adaptive mentorship uses implementation science and systems thinking methodologies to support a pan-Canadian Learning Health System. Work will proceed in three phases. Phase I will explore determinants of implementation (phase Ia) and behavioural influences on adaptive mentorship (phase Ib) through document review, interviews, systems mapping and readiness assessment. Phase II will use a Learning Alliance to identify, select and operationalise fit-for-purpose implementation strategies. Phase III will co-develop AMN-specific logic models and evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and initial utility of selected strategies. The study will be guided by the Active Implementation Framework, the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, the Consolidated Framework for Sustainability Constructs, the Capabilities, Opportunities and Motivation for Behaviour model, the Theoretical Domains Framework and the Health Equity Implementation Framework. Outputs from phase Ia will provide a compendium of determinants critical for the implementation of mentorship networks within healthcare arranged by stage of implementation, and the activities that current networks have taken to influence such determinants. Outputs from phase Ib will identify the capabilities, opportunities and motivations deemed critical for facilitating engagement in the act of clinical mentorship. Phase II will identify a contextualised understanding of strategies that are optimally suited to influence critical determinants of implementing AMNs and engaging in clinical mentorship. Our outputs from phases I and II will be pilot tested with each AMN and inform the development of site-specific logic models and a cross-site implementation blueprint that will be evaluated in phase III. This protocol advances a systems-informed approach to implementing AMNs across diverse Canadian health systems, with implications for mentorship-enabled workforce development.

Ethics approval has been obtained from the Bruyère Health Research Ethics Board (M16-25-001 and M16-25-002) and the Newfoundland and Labrador Health Research Ethics Board (Ref# 2025.047). Participants provide informed consent prior to participating in study interviews acknowledging potential risks and benefits to participation. Findings will be mobilised through integrated knowledge mobilisation with participating AMNs, members of the Learning Alliance, policy and practice partners, conference presentations, publications, AI-enabled knowledge sharing tools and plain-language resources.

Common mental disorders (CMDs) are endemic globally. The availability of evidence-based mental health interventions has grown rapidly, with many services focused on psychotherapy. Most psychotherapies require multiple sessions, resulting in lengthy waiting times due to limited provider availability. These delays can lead to higher morbidity, poorer adherence and less favourable outcomes.

Recent research indicates that single-session therapy (SST) can be as effective as multi-session approaches and offers cost savings. This pragmatic, prospective mixed-methods pilot cohort study assesses the uptake, feasibility, acceptability, appropriateness and preliminary clinical effectiveness of SST in individuals receiving the Friendship Bench intervention. The Friendship Bench is a task-shifting mental health intervention for individuals with low to moderate symptoms of CMDs.

We will conduct a pragmatic, prospective, mixed-methods pilot interventional cohort study involving 350 first-time clients of the Friendship Bench intervention in Harare and surrounding periurban areas. We will primarily explore the intervention’s feasibility, uptake, appropriateness and acceptability including the feasibility of a larger follow-up clinical trial. Secondary outcomes include changes in CMDs severity, depression and anxiety symptoms, social connectedness, functional status, hope, resilience, health-related quality of life and therapeutic alliance. Participants will be followed for 6 weeks, with data collected at baseline and at 2, 4 and 6 weeks postintervention time points. A qualitative component will explore participants’ perspectives and experiences with SST. Quantitative data will be analysed using descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis, Cox proportional hazards models and generalised mixed models with maximum likelihood estimation. Qualitative data will be analysed thematically.

Ethical approval was granted by the Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe. Findings from this study will contribute to the evidence base for SST in the management of CMDs and may inform mental health service delivery in low-resource settings. Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, social media platforms and policy briefs.

PACTR202605687485459

This project will establish a nationally consistent and ethically defensible approach to embed genomic testing in Australian primary care. Many non-genetic health professionals (eg, general practitioners (GPs) and other specialists) have limited experience with such testing. Current tests—both subsidised and consumer-paid—target a range of genes and conditions, making appropriate selection challenging. A structured implementation approach is therefore crucial. We will develop, test, refine and evaluate internationally relevant tools to support GPs and consumers in using genomics effectively.

Aims of the project are to (1) develop, implement and evaluate key supports for GPs offering tests through three interventions: primary health point-of-care resources, a practical guide to dealing with ethical issues affecting clinicians and established recommendations for a national approach for genetic counsellors to support GPs providing genetic testing; (2) develop and evaluate consumer resources and plan the implementation strategies; (3) evaluate real-world utilisation and equity of access to genetic testing in primary care using linked Medicare and population data.

This project will focus on two genomic applications recently made available in Australia on the universal insurance scheme (Medicare): a reproductive genetic carrier screen (an example of the role of genetics in reproductive testing) and genetic testing for familial hypercholesterolaemia (an example of a condition-specific test). Both tests can be complex for GPs to understand and explain to consumers and have potential implications beyond the purpose of the test (eg, personal health implications for carriers and results are also relevant to genetic relatives). Developing a robust clinical pathway and process for these tests will prepare GPs for future more complex applications of clinical genomics. The study will take place from January 2024 to December 2026.

Ethical approval for this work has been received from the Macquarie University Human Research Ethics Committee (Ref: 520241849560183) and the Royal Children’s Hospital Research Ethics and Governance (HREC/112451). Findings will be disseminated via publications, conferences and engagement with primary care networks and policymakers.