The Preventive Research Center (PRC) is a collaboration between the Faculty of Medicine, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan Society of Lifestyle Medicine. Our vision is to prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and infectious diseases of poverty in underserved communities in Sri Lanka. The PRC focuses on developing pragmatic, cost-effective, and culturally tailored prevention models through community-based participatory research (CBPR) and evidence-based behavior change strategies, and translating research findings to policy and practice. 

The PRC connects key stakeholders, i.e., policymakers from the Ministry of Health, local agencies, academia, and communities, for translational research. It addresses significant health and economic challenges posed by NCDs and infectious diseases of poverty in underserved communities in Sri Lanka. The PRC aims to develop and implement pragmatic, cost-effective, scalable, and culturally appropriate models and interventions for primary and secondary prevention through CBPR and evidence-based behavior change strategies. Furthermore, the PRC ensures policy advocacy and translation through unique collaborative approaches.

 

The PRC promotes multi-center primary and secondary research related to NCD and infectious diseases of poverty, as well as evaluations of interventions, initiatives, and behavior change models. Primary data collection and analyses include qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method observational studies and interventional studies on NCDs and infectious diseases of poverty. Additionally, the PRC conducts secondary data analyses to evaluate the real-world effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of disease prevention models, interventions, and initiatives. Moreover, with a focus on NCD reversal through lifestyle medicine interventions, the PRC explores randomized trials and quasi-experimental studies in community and healthcare settings.

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For knowledge dissemination and exchange, the PRC organizes academic activities, conferences, and symposia and publish findings in peer-reviewed journals. Policy advocacy efforts translates research findings into evidence-based policies and practices for disease prevention, ensuring active collaboration with all stakeholders. For this purpose, the PRC utilizes an Advisory Panel model, that convenes periodically, consisting of community members, researchers, policymakers, healthcare professionals, and other key stakeholders. Furthermore, it prioritizes capacity building in research among clinicians, academia, community health workers, and communities while also facilitating student-led research projects.

 

A key aspect of the PRC's approach is its community engagement in all research design, planning, and implementation stages (CBPR) through community empowerment. By focusing on underserved populations, including but not limited to rural, estate, and low-income population, PRC aims to create a sustainable ecosystem for identifying, implementing, and refining effective primary and secondary prevention models. Its impact will be measured through a robust monitoring and evaluation framework, tracking key performance indicators and conducting rigorous impact evaluations.