Using a Mobile Laboratory to Study Mental Health, Addictions and Violence: A Research Plan

Abstract

This paper describes an innovative new research program, Researching Health in Ontario Communities (RHOC), designed to improve understanding, treatment and prevention of co-occurring mental health, addictions, and violence problems. RHOC brings together a multi-disciplinary team of investigators to implement an integrated series of research studies (including pilot studies and full studies). The project involves use a mobile research laboratory to collect a wide range of biological, behavioral and social data in diverse communities across Ontario, Canada, including remote and rural communities, areas experiencing poverty and social disorganization, urban areas, and Aboriginal communities. This paper describes the project background and research plan as well as the anticipated contributions of the project to participating Ontario communities and to broader scientific knowledge.

Keywords

• mental health
• substance use
• addiction
• violence
• co-morbidities
• mobile research laboratory
• multi-level modeling
• community-based research