Extending collaborations for knowledge translation: lessons from the community-based participatory research literature

Assess, Redress, Re-assess: Addressing Disparities in Respiratory Health Among First Nations is an ongoing community-based participatory research initiative involving two First Nations communities in Saskatchewan. The initiative’s rationale is grounded in the ethos of transformative community-based participatory research and facilitated through integrated knowledge translation with the aim of building community capacity. The initiative’s goal was to engage community members to actively participate in all research phases, from the development of the research questions to dissemination of results and evaluation of community-chosen interventions that evolved from the results. After baseline assessment of predictors and indicators of respiratory health, a program of integrated knowledge translation was adopted. As part of this program, a community-researcher collaboration was put in place that produced two knowledge translation symposia. The two symposia have brought together First Nations community members, interdisciplinary researchers, federal and provincial policy makers, and multiple Aboriginal organizational stakeholders. The symposia provided a pathway for knowledge synthesis and sharing to ultimately integrate knowledge into practice and enable First Nations’ community capacity building in addressing and redressing critical respiratory health issues. This article delineates the processes involved in developing this model of integrated knowledge translation and highlights the continuing engagement with the participating communities supported by Knowledge Translation (KT) Symposia.

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Community-based participatory research and integrated knowledge translation: advancing the co-creation of knowledge

Implementation Science ◽

10.1186/s13012-017-0696-3 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 50

Author(s):

Janet Jull ◽

Audrey Giles ◽

Ian D. Graham

Keyword(s):

Knowledge Translation ◽

Participatory Research ◽

Community Based Participatory Research ◽

Integrated Knowledge Translation ◽

Community Based ◽

Integrated Knowledge

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Partner development praxis: The use of transformative communication spaces in a community-academic participatory action research effort in a Mexican ethnic enclave in Chicago

Action Research ◽

10.1177/1476750317695413 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 414-436 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Jennifer Hebert-Beirne ◽

Jennifer K Felner ◽

Joan Kennelly ◽

Kamal Eldeirawi ◽

Anna Mayer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Leadership Development ◽

Participatory Research ◽

Research Effort ◽

Health Assessment ◽

Community Based Participatory Research ◽

Research Literature ◽

Participatory Action ◽

Community Members ◽

Community Based ◽

Transformative Communication

Trusting, productive relationships between traditionally discordant stakeholders—community members and researchers—are critical for successful Community-Based Participatory Research. Practical guidance on processes allowing for partner trust-building and collaborative leadership development in Community-Based Participatory Research literature lacks specificity. In this paper, we introduce our praxis of Transformative Communication Spaces to facilitate purposeful, iterative discourse that occurs in, and fuels each research phase. We elaborate on the use of Transformative Communication Spaces through Pláticas de Salud, Oral History Listening Events, and Data Analysis Think Tanks within the framework of our Little Village Participatory Community Health Assessment. We believe the integrity and potential of Community-Based Participatory Research is contingent on the use of Transformative Communication Spaces strategies to foster trusting partnerships necessary for shared learning and co-leadership.

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Project Lotus: A really cool community-based initiative assisting women post-homelessness

International Journal of Whole Person Care ◽

10.26443/ijwpc.v9i1.321 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 12-13

Author(s):

Karla Jacobsen ◽

Laurence Roy ◽

Sally Richmond ◽

Isabelle Boutemeur ◽

Eve De Macar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lived Experience ◽

Participatory Research ◽

Service Providers ◽

Virtual Community ◽

Community Based Participatory Research ◽

Research Literature ◽

World Health ◽

Community Based ◽

Research Initiative ◽

Individualized Approach

In Canada, recent conservative estimates report upwards of 235,000 individuals are homeless on a given night. Of those experiencing precarious housing situations, women make up approximately 30% and are among the most vulnerable. Their residential insecurity has been further exacerbated with the community and social restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Existing resources that assist women experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity are often stretched to the limit dealing with emergency and crisis housing situations, with less focus on post-shelter supports. To address this issue, a community-based participatory research initiative ‘Project Lotus - Hope Together’ was established in Montreal. Grounded in the World Health Organization’s Commission on Social Determinants of Health Framework, the overarching goal of this research is to co-design a housing supports program for women leaving a shelter stay. We created a cross-sectorial Advisory Committee consisting of women with lived experiences of homelessness, service providers, community leaders, and researchers. To date, we have conducted preliminary research (literature review, interviews with women with lived experience of homelessness, stakeholder meetings) to identity what has assisted women through this transition, and what barriers exist. We have also held virtual community consultation meetings to discuss preliminary findings of recommendations of key components that should be in a post-shelter support program for women. This presentation outlines the current findings and highlights the importance of participatory research. Implementing whole person care in the area of women’s homelessness requires both a comprehensive and individualized approach to help women and children secure home, health, and a sustainable future.

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Menopause experience in First Nations women and initiatives for menopause symptom awareness; a community-based participatory research approach

BMC Women s Health ◽

10.1186/s12905-021-01303-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Beate C. Sydora ◽

Bonny Graham ◽

Richard T. Oster ◽

Sue Ross

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Knowledge Translation ◽

First Nations ◽

Participatory Research ◽

Family Members ◽

Community Based Participatory Research ◽

Community Members ◽

Community Based ◽

Menopause Symptom

Abstract Background Little research has been conducted about menopause in First Nations women. In response to the wishes of Cree women living in Maskwacis, Alberta, to start a dialogue on menopause, we undertook community-based participatory research (CBPR) to explore menopause experience and raise awareness of menopause symptoms in the community. Methods The research adhered to the principles of Ownership, Control, Access and Possession (OCAP™) and was guided by the interest of the participating women. Local women (target age 40–65 years) were invited to participate in workshops using word-of-mouth and community posters in health centers. Five research workshops were held in community settings, attended by experienced women’s health researchers and consenting women. The participants guided the informal discussions. They also completed questionnaires which included menopause-related quality of life. The researchers used extensive hand-written field notes to record data; qualitative content analysis was applied to identify themes. Simple descriptive analysis was used for the questionnaire results. The findings were discussed at a community feedback session and laid the basis for further knowledge translation initiatives. Results The five workshops included a total of 37, mostly post-menopausal women with 6–11 women/workshop. The main discussion themes were: "experiences of menopause symptoms" including their impact on quality of life; "menopause knowledge prior to their own experience" with most women feeling that they had insufficient information before menopause; "menopause symptom management" which mainly included practical strategies; "impact of menopause on family members" which was of prime concern with uncontrollable mood changes affecting the whole family and sometimes causing matrimonial disharmony. Questionnaire responses corroborated the workshop discussions. Knowledge translation of the research findings produced two information pamphlets specifically for the Maskwacis community: one for husband/partner, the other for women and family members. These pamphlets have been distributed in all areas of the community. Conclusion This CBPR project addressed a topic identified by the community as being important. Community members developed informative pamphlets in response to the women’s concern of lack of understanding for menopause symptoms among families. This simple solution has been widely accepted by community members, opening the possibility of wider discussion about menopause.

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