title: An agenda for occupational therapy's contribution to collaborative chronic disease research.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To meet the needs of adults with chronic diseases, Canadian health care is moving toward more interdisciplinary, collaborative practice. There is limited high-quality evidence to support practice in this area. Occupational therapists can play a significant role in this area of practice and research.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To develop an agenda of priority areas within collaborative chronic disease research to which occupational therapy can make a contribution.
  
  
  METHODS
  The project involved literature and Internet review, a consensus meeting with a range of stakeholders, a survey of occupational therapists, and synthesis of findings to create a research agenda.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An interdisciplinary and intersectoral group of stakeholders identified seven main priority areas. One priority is specific to occupational therapy while the remaining six cross disciplines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The research agenda can support funding applications and encourage interdisciplinary research collaboration to ultimately produce research evidence that can benefit people with chronic diseases.
authors.affiliation: School of Rehabilitation Science, McMaster University, 1400 Main St. W. Hamilton, ON, L8S 1C7. handc@mcmaster.ca
authors.forename: Carri L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Hand
authors.forename: Lori J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Letts
authors.forename: Claudia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: von Zweck
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002170:Canada; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care