The Jordi Gol University Institute for Research in Primary Care (IDIAPJGol) and the Catalan Institute of Health (ICS) have awarded the annual IDIAPJGol-ICS Research Grants in Primary Care. In total, grants and grants have been awarded to 22 researchers, through six calls aimed at financing research intensification (freeing up time from healthcare activity to research), the completion of doctoral theses, stays in foreign research centers and the promotion of specific projects. 5 more researchers have received extraordinary intensification grants granted directly by the territorial managements of the ICS.

The awards were presented on May 27, in the auditorium of the Catalan Institute of Health, after the celebration of PhD Day, the meeting that IDIAPJGol has been organizing for two years and is aimed at people who are doing their doctorate in primary care.

Money and time

The aim of these grants, which are celebrating their 27th edition this year, is to help people who want to research in primary care with financial resources and free time to be able to carry out quality research in the first level of care. In total, around 70,000 euros have been distributed to seven researchers and 18 primary care professionals have been partially released so that they can dedicate more time to research. These professionals will be able to reduce their working hours dedicated to care by between 20% and 60%, depending on the grant. In total, the intensification grants are equivalent to almost eight full working days.

The most financially endowed grant, with 14,000 euros, corresponding to Research Projects, went to Mònica Solanes Cabús, a family doctor at the Onze de Setembre Primary Care Center, in Lleida, for a study to validate the training of family doctors to perform echocardioscopy.

During the event, the director of IDIAPJGol, Josep Basora, highlighted the importance of teamwork in conducting research and thanked the various territorial primary care managements of the ICS for promoting quality research.

For his part, the managing director of the ICS, Josep Pomar, highlighted the importance of research in primary care and the value of IDIAPJGol in promoting research that provides a direct response to people’s health needs.

Grants and scholarships awarded

25th ICS Scholarship for training in research and conducting a doctorate in Primary Care, endowed with 9,015 euros each.

– Arantxa Mallou, from the Research Support Unit (USR) of Girona, for the project “Cardiovascular disease prevention program based on screening for asymptomatic peripheral arteriopathy. HELENA Study”.

– Maria Antònia Pou, from the USR of Barcelona, ​​who will carry out the project “Descriptive mixed methodology study to expand knowledge of gout in Catalonia: from large databases to the patient’s perspective”.

– Nora León, from the USR of Central Catalonia, for the project entitled: “Xat Jove, as a tool for accessing healthcare for adolescents”.

– Anna Panisello, from the USR of Terres de l’Ebre who will carry out the project “Gender Perspective on Cardiovascular Diseases in the Terres de l’Ebre. GECA-TE Project”.

– Maria Agràs, from the USR of Tarragona-Reus, who will carry out the project entitled: “Effectiveness of an App for quitting smoking in pregnant women. TOBBGEST”.

In the predoctoral scholarship modality of Intensification for the release of 25% of the working day for two years, two grants have been awarded to carry out the doctorate to the following people:

– Cecilia Herrero, from the USR Metropolitana Nord, who will carry out the project entitled: “Evaluation of supervised physical exercise in people with peripheral arteriopathy with a randomized clinical trial”.

– Irene Ripoll, from the USR of Barcelona, ​​who will develop the project “Effects of the climate crisis on the mental health of the population of El Carmel and proposals for community climate adaptation strategies, through a participatory research-action process”

21st edition of the ICS Grant to promote research strategies of groups through the intensification of researchers, which consists of freeing up to 50% of the working day to intensify research for two years.

– Marta Ortega, from the USR of Lleida, who will promote the strategic plan: “Evaluation of the use of clinical ultrasound in Primary Care”.

– Miguel Ángel Díaz, from the USR Costa de Ponent, to carry out the “Strategic research plan in complex chronic wounds: Innovation, evaluation and improvement of the quality of care in Primary Care”.

– Íngrid Arteaga, from the USR Metropolitana Nord, who will develop the strategic plan “Research in liver diseases in primary care”.

– Víctor Miguel López, from the USR Metropolitana Nord, who

will coordinate the strategic plan “Peripheral Arteriopathy Line, ARTPER”.

– Cinta de Diego, from the USR of Tarragona-Reus, for the strategic plan “Evaluation of the clinical effectiveness and impact of pneumococcal vaccination after the introduction of the 20-valent conjugate vaccine in adults at risk and in those over 65 in Catalonia”.

– Berta Rodoreda, from the USR of Catalonia Central to carry out the strategic plan: “Impact of Social Determinants on Health”.

– Josep Lluís Ballvé, from the USR Costa de Ponent, who will promote the strategic plan: “Study of vertigo and balance disorders in Primary Care”.

– Elena Artal, from the USR of Barcelona, ​​to carry out the strategic plan of the “Epidemiological Research Group on Diabetes from Primary Care, DAP_CAT”.

– Marta Castillo, from the USR of Central Catalonia, who will promote the strategic plan: “Digital Health in Primary Care in Rural Areas”.

Extraordinary to the formal granting of these grants, each year there are territorial managements that, in accordance with the available budget, make an effort to intensify professionals who, despite having obtained a good score in the evaluation of the applications, have not been prioritized for being granted. These are:

– Mari Carmen Olmos, from the USR of Costa de Ponent, who will coordinate the strategic plan “Nursing Research in Health Economics in Primary Care”.

– David Lacasta, from the USR Metropolitana Nord, who will promote the strategic plan: “Addressing healthcare professionalism: Emotional exhaustion, care value and teaching innovation in Primary Care”.

– Susana Erazo, from the USR Metropolitana Nord, with the strategic plan: “Consolidation and strengthening of the research line in chronic respiratory diseases”.

– Clara Flamarich, from the USR Metropolitana Nord, for the strategic plan: “Attention to cultural diversity”.

– Juan José Montero, from the USR Girona, who will share the grant with David Lacasta to promote the strategic plan: “Addressing healthcare professionalism: Emotional exhaustion, care value and teaching innovation in Primary Care”.

6th Grant for the creation of Stable Release positions for senior researchers, which consists of the release of between 50% and 100% of the working day to intensify research for four extendable years.

This is the grant that involves greater release from healthcare tasks for dedication to research and, therefore, greater stabilization and consolidation of the research career in Primary Care at the ICS.

– Laura Montero, from the USR Metropolitana Nord, who will promote the “Strategic research plan for the promotion of the line of Promotion of Sexual and Reproductive Health of the population of Catalonia”.

– Anna Ruiz, from the USR Catalunya Central, to carry out the strategic plan “COVID-19, Chronicity and Primary Prevention”.

20th edition of the Call for stays in foreign or state research centers. The grant consists of financing transportation, remuneration during the stay and a monthly financial supplement.

– Eladio Fernández, from the USR of Barcelona, ​​who will carry out a six-month stay in Oxford to “Evaluate the use of opioids and improve safety”.

– Enric Aragonès, from the USR of Tarragona-Reus, who will carry out a 3-month stay at the University of Talca, in Chile.

27th edition of the Primary Health Care Research Project Grant, which, with an endowment of 14,000 euros, is the most important competitive grant for the promotion of research in Primary Health Care in Catalonia, intended to finance the best research project led by new research staff or emerging research groups of the IDIAPJGol.

– Mònica Solanes, from the USR of Lleida, to carry out the project: “Study to validate the training of family doctors to perform echocardioscopy”.

2nd Barbara Starfield Grant for the completion of a doctorate by professionals specializing in Primary Health Care. This is a call aimed at accredited research groups in order to encourage the completion of doctoral theses in international collaboration, with the intention of motivating research staff, helping them to consolidate internationalized lines of research.

– Sergi Rodríguez, from the USR of Tarragona-Reus, with the project: “Influence of continuous glucose monitoring on the quality of life of people with type 2 diabetes”. The grant awarded consists of a financial grant of 10,000 euros.

Awards for the best thesis project

During the celebration of PhD Day, thirteen research projects were announced that are being carried out by Primary Care professionals who are doing their doctoral thesis. Of these projects presented, three have been awarded a grant to publish the thesis in open access journals. These are:

– Morbimortality prognostic models of stable and decompensated heart failure in primary care, by Victòria Cendrós, from the USR Barcelona.

– Evaluation of an acute pediatric video consultation process in primary care in rural areas, by Marta Castillo, from the USR Catalunya Central.

– Evaluation of a multicomponent program for the integrated management of chronic pain and depression in primary care, by Concepció Rambla, from the USR Reus-Tarragona.