Identifying Factors Influencing Healthy Lifestyles in First Nations Children: A Community-Based Formative Assessment
Principal Investigator
Noreen Willows
Co-Investigators
Geoff Ball
Mandi Newton
Nick Holt
Ron Plotnikoff
Paul Veugelers
Dawn Wrightson
Project Overview
This community-based investigation adopts an applied research approach to gain a greater understanding of community factors that influence health. The aim of this two-year, mixed-methods study is to conduct a formative assessment in a First Nation (FN) community located in Treaty 6. University and community partners will examine specific indicators and community / environmental issues related to risk for developing diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in FN children. A community-based, formative assessment is a critically important first step in health promotion program planning within a community and involves collecting relevant information to shape a health intervention to local conditions. Our assessment will establish a foundation of knowledge, information, and resources from which we aim to develop, deliver, and evaluate a community-specific prevention strategy (to be supported through additional funding) for diseases such as T2DM.
The project has two inter-related steps. First, a steering committee, which this project refers to as the Wisdom Committee, will be established to provide direction and support. Second, research will be conducted to collect formative data that will help to plan local programs and services.
Step one (Steering Committee) is near completion. Researchers from the University of Alberta (UofA) and a broad spectrum of key stakeholders from the community have collaborated to form the Wisdom Committee. The purpose of the Wisdom Committee includes: (1) raising community awareness of and interest in the project, (2) providing direction to ensure a culturally-appropriate approach, (3) participating in the review, interpretation, and presentation of study results to certify accuracy of information and data interpretation, (4) reviewing publications that incorporate project information to guarantee cultural sensitivity and appropriate use of language are employed when sharing results, and (5) ensuring the project follows the ethical standards identified in the committee’s Terms of Reference.
Step two will take an ‘ecological approach’ to the research by trying to understand the interactions between behaviours and the environment since changes at multiple levels are required to build healthier communities. There are four phases to step two which began in June 2008.
Phase 1. FOOD SECURITY: We are using several tools to assess food security in the community. The Nutritious Food Basket is a survey to measure the cost of eating nutritious foods for community members. In this survey, a standard list of foods is priced at grocery stores and markets frequented by community members. The survey will be administered in the summer and again in the winter to check for seasonal changes in cost. Using this tool required a partnership with the Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development Department, who created and manage the tool. An assessment of the foods available for purchase in the FN community will also occur. We plan on hiring two youths from the community to assist with these surveys, a capacity building endeavour that will also provide an opportunity for hands-on research experience to build interest and skills in the sciences.
Phase 2. ASSET MAP: During this phase, community members identify health assets in the community through community ‘walkabouts’. Individual and group interviews will also be conducted with key community representatives to identify opportunities to promote healthy lifestyle behaviours. We plan on training two adults from the community to facilitate group discussions. Including community members in both of these activities will raise awareness and promote collaboration within the community. The training of local facilitators will also provide a learning opportunity so they may lead group discussions in the future.
Phase 3. CHILD AND YOUTH HEALTH ASSESSMENT: A survey assessing the physical activity and weights of children and youth will be conducted. Working closely with the local school health teachers and principal, we will measure height, weight, waist circumference, and steps per day of boys and girls from grades k - 12.
PHOTOVOICE: This tool will be used to explore perceptions of health. Participants take photos based on specific themes regarding health, and the images are used to encourage discussion. We plan on training several adults from the community to help facilitate the Photovoice process as part of the capacity building component of this project.
Phase 4. ANGELO FRAMEWORK: The first three phases are important in establishing a foundation of community-specific knowledge, information, and resources. With this foundation, an ANGELO workshop will be held in the community to identify community strengths and challenges in providing services, programs, and resources to optimize the healthy development of children and youth living in the community. This meeting will also establish priorities and goals for the community regarding healthy lifestyle behaviours, such as nutrition and physical activity. The identified priorities and goals from the basis of an action plan, which builds on community strengths, identifies funding sources for programs and projects, and provides future direction for sustainable community health promoting initiatives.
Contact
David DyckFehderau, Project Coordinator
410 Agriculture/Forestry Centre
Room 3-18L
Edmonton, Alberta
T6G 2P5
Phone: 780-492-8837
Fax: 780-492-4265
Email: Dyckfehd@ualberta.ca
Time Frame
2008-2010
Funding Agencies
Alberta Centre for Child, Family & Community Research
Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
New Emerging Team grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research-Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism, and Diabetes and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada