The impact of the Program in Health Information will be evaluated, given the resources committed to it and the possibility that it may serve as a model for other nations. The impact of interventions in which intermediaries direct the public to health information content will be assessed through a competitive research grant program conducted primarily by social scientists in Portugal, with potential involvement of faculty from Harvard Medical School and other Harvard faculties and schools. Funding will be available for up to 4 projects during the duration of the Program (2 projects funded by the 2009 Call and 2 projects funded by the 2011 Call).
In order to assess the impact of this information over the next several years, the program is soliciting an expression of interest in applying for grants to evaluate the current baseline status (in 2010) on knowledge of the general public about health information and from what sources the public gets health information.
Topics of interest include all areas identified in the Portuguese National Health Plan. However, excellent proposals in any other topic will also be considered.
Outline of content proposals: proposals of all types will be considered, but the typical project would be a survey of a representative sample of Portuguese citizens of all ages and socio-economic groups, with particular emphasis on teen aged children, young adults and adults over age 60, to assess:
- The current state of knowledge about the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of these illnesses
- The current sources of knowledge about health information - newspapers, magazines, radio, television, books, Internet, science centers and museums, schools, health professionals, other.
- The perceived quality, comprehensibility and depth of each of these sources.
Duration of activity: Grants will be awarded for up to three years, and the assessment results produced by the grant will be delivered no later than 24 months after the start of the grant.
Funding: Up to 100,000 Euros per year will be available to support each project that is chosen. For the 2009 Call, funding is available for 2 projects. Funds awarded to Harvard Medical School for the HMS-Portugal program will cover the participation of HMS teams in each project.
Eligible applicants: Applications must come from research groups with relevant experience on socio-economic research, either from public or private research institutions. Applications must preferably involve participants from at least two different Portuguese institutions, and applications integrating groups associated with biomedical research and hospitals will be viewed particularly favorably. In addition, preference will be given to applications also integrating groups from Harvard University associated with socio-economic research.
Where to apply: Applications must be submitted online through the FCT website https://concursos.fct.mctes.pt/projectos/ following the Announcement of the Call for Proposals. Information on http://alfa.fct.mctes.pt/apoios/projectos/concursos/harvard/2009/impacto
Deadline for receipt of full applications: 30 October 2009. Applications must:
- Be written in English
- Be no less than 10 pages and no more than 20 pages, single-spaced (font, Arial 11)
- Include a detailed outline of the technique for identifying and contacting survey participants
- Include a detailed description of the data to be collected
- Specify any target population that may be deliberately oversampled
- Refer to any past experiences or current responsibilities that the applicants may have with regard to conducting surveys of public opinion.
Review of applications: Applications will be reviewed by a Review Committee of independent experts in the field of health information for the general public, from the United States and nations other than Portugal, organized by FCT in close collaboration with Harvard Medical School. The Committee will be chaired by Professor Anthony Komaroff and will be responsible for evaluating the merit of each proposal, and for identifying ways in which successful applicants might work together to avoid the creation of redundant data.
Notification: Successful applicants will be notified by email after 1 December 2009.
Start of activity: Funded applications will commence after 1 January 2010.
First Progress Report: A final detailed survey plan, and report of progress in conducting the survey, will be delivered within 6 months after the signature of the Contract, for interim review by the Review Committee. If the Committee is concerned about the progress made by the applicants, the Committee may require another interim review in several months, and has the right to recommend that further funding be discontinued when progress has been poor.
Second Progress Report: A summary of new data collected since the First Progress Report will be delivered within 12 months after the signature of the Contract, for interim review by the Review Committee. If the Committee is concerned about the progress made by the applicants, the Committee may require another interim review in several months, and has the right to recommend that further funding be discontinued when progress has been poor.
Delivery of content produced: It is expected that the final report of the surveys will be delivered no later than 36 months after the signature of the contract.
For replies to queries related to this Call please visit our Home/News page - Answers to Questions.