October 25, 1999 For Immediate Release

Canada's first national conference on rural health research has determined that a blueprint for all rural health research will help to provide the information necessary to improve the quality of health care for people living in Canada's rural, remote, and northern communities.

The National Summit on Research in Rural Health was co-presented by Health Canada and the University of Northern British Columbia. It took place in Prince George from October 23-25. About 120 people attended.

"We know that the health of rural people is simply not as good as that of urban Canadians," says Max Blouw, UNBC Associate Vice-President of Research and a Summit Co-Chair. "Why is that so and what are the most effective means of addressing the issue? It's those questions that rural health research will answer."

"There has never before been an organized attempt in Canada to identify the problems in rural health, what we know already, and where the gaps in knowledge are," says John Wootton, Executive Director of Health Canada's Office of Rural Health and one of the Summit Co-Chairs.

Summit participants have identified the keys to a national research strategy for improving rural health:

• Greater collaboration among researchers through a national network
• Wider dissemination of research results to the public and health care providers to encourage implementation of results
• Involving rural communities in identifying research questions and being part of the research process
• Identifying methods for improving recruitment and retention of health professionals

"The delegates have told us that rural health research must have immediate relevance that can quickly lead to action," says Dr Mo Watanabe. "Action taken to improve the health of rural Canadians must be based on evidence, rather than anecdotal information or lobbying. Research will establish the evidence."

"I would like to thank Dr John Wootton and Dr Max Blouw for their work in bringing together leading researchers, community health providers, representatives from aboriginal communities, and government officials from across Canada this weekend," says Health Minister Allan Rock. "The challenges in health care facing rural Canadians are very real and they are national in scope. I eagerly await Dr Watanabe's report from the Summit so I can carefully review the delegates' deliberations with my Caucus colleagues and act to improve the health of citizens in rural and remote Canadian communities. I also look forward to working with my provincial and territorial partners to develop innovative approaches that will improve access to needed health services in these parts of the country."

The blueprint for research resulting from the Summit will be presented to Minister Rock early in January, 2000.