Developing Future Leaders in Health Assessment Research: Evaluation of interRAI's inSPIRe Program

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Health Services Research
• Global Health

Background:

• The fourth interRAI Summer Program of International Research (inSPIRe) was hosted at McMaster University in July 2024.
• The program convened 24 delegates from 14 countries with diverse expertise in research, clinical practice, policy, and health informatics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance understanding of interRAI assessment systems.
• To develop methodological skills for health services research.
• To foster international collaboration and mentorship within the interRAI research community.

Main Methods:

• An intensive, structured capacity-building program.
• Facilitation of knowledge translation between research and practice.
• Provision of access to comprehensive international datasets.

Main Results:

• All participants reported program satisfaction, meeting or exceeding expectations.
• Significant benefits included access to international data and expert mentorship.
• The program successfully initiated global collaborations and knowledge sharing.

Conclusions:

• The inSPIRe program is an effective model for building global health research leadership.
• The initiative demonstrates scalability and international applicability.
• It strengthens research capacity and capability in health services internationally.