Health trajectory research: a call to action for nursing science

The focus of health trajectory research is study of health over time for individual persons, families, or communities. The person-focused, time-based perspective reflects health as it is experienced over the life course and maps directly onto processes of care, contributing to ease in translation of results to practice. The agenda focuses on theoretical and empirical components needed to (a) build health trajectory science; (b) develop the scientific workforce to conduct health trajectory research; (c) integrate health trajectory research with other critical, emerging areas of nursing science (genomics and genetics, informatics, dynamic systems and communication); and (d) apply health trajectory research across the life span and continuum of care. Agenda items point the way toward a reorientation of nursing research that incorporates and emphasizes understanding of individual health trajectories.