Developing a collaborative research system for Aboriginal health (original) (raw)
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Is peer review useful in assessing research proposals in Indigenous health? A case study
"Background There has been considerable examination and critique of traditional (academic) peer review processes in quality assessment of grant applications. At the same time, the use of traditional research processes in Indigenous research has been questioned. Many grant funding organisations have changed the composition of their peer review panels to reflect these concerns but the question remains do these reforms go far enough? In this project we asked people working in areas associated with Aboriginal health research in a number of capacities, their views on the use of peer review in assessing Indigenous research proposals. Methods In semi-structured interviews we asked 18 individuals associated with an Australian Indigenous research funding organisation to reflect on their experience with peer review in quality assessment of grant applications. We also invited input from a steering group drawn from a variety of organisations involved in Aboriginal research throughout Australia and directly consulted with three Aboriginal-controlled health organisations. Results There was consensus amongst all participants that traditional academic peer review is inappropriate for quality assessment in Indigenous research. Many expressed the view that using a competitive grant review system in Aboriginal health was counterintuitive, since good research transfer is based on effective collaboration. The consensus within the group favoured a system which built research in a collaborative manner incorporating a variety of different stakeholders in the process. In this system, one-off peer review was still seen as valuable in the form of a "critical friend" who provided advice as to how to improve the research proposal. Conclusion Peer review in the traditional mould should be recognised as inappropriate in Aboriginal research. Building research projects relevant to policy and practice in Indigenous health may require a shift to a new way of selecting, funding and conducting research"
The Australian journal of rural health, 2015
Gaps exist in researchers' understanding of the 'practice' of community governance in relation to research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We examine Aboriginal community governance of two rural NSW research projects by applying principles-based criteria from two independent sources. One research project possessed a strong Aboriginal community governance structure and evaluated a 2-year healthy lifestyle program for children; the other was a 5-year cohort study examining factors influencing the mental health and well-being of participants. The National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia's 'Values and ethics: guidelines for ethical conduct in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research' and 'Ten principles relevant to health research among Indigenous Australian populations' described by experts in the field. Adopt community-based participatory research constructs. Develop clear governance structures and procedures a...
2021
Background Community engagement in Aboriginal health research aims to protect and empower participating individuals and communities and is an ethical requirement in research. One approach to incorporating community engagement in research is to engage a community reference group to provide oversight and cultural guidance to projects. The aim of this study was to describe the process of establishing a community reference group and terms of reference to guide the Enhancing Equity, Collaboration and Culturally secure Osteoarthritis care for Aboriginal Australians collaboration (ECCO). ECCO is a national inter-professional team of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal health service staff and researchers that was established to develop culturally secure osteoarthritis care for Aboriginal people. Methods This was a two-phase study conducted in Victoria, Australia. In phase one, semi-structured research yarns were conducted collaboratively by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal co-investigators to explo...
Research Involvement and Engagement, 2022
Background: Community engagement or community involvement in Aboriginal health research is a process that involves partnering, collaborating and involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people or potential research participants to empower them to have a say in how research with Aboriginal communities is conducted. In the context of Aboriginal health, this is particularly important so that researchers can respond to the priorities of the community under study and conduct research in a way that is respectful of Aboriginal cultural values and beliefs. One approach to incorporating the principals of community engagement and to ensure cultural oversight and guidance to projects is to engage a community reference group. The aim of this study was to describe the process of establishing an Aboriginal community reference group and terms of reference. The community reference group was established to guide the research activities of a newly formed research collaboration aiming to to develop osteoarthritis care that meets the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia. Methods: Adopting a Participatory Action Research approach, this two-phase study was conducted in Victoria, Australia. In phase one, semi-structured research yarns (a cultural form of conversation used as a data gathering tool) were conducted collaboratively by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal co-investigators to explore Aboriginal health stakeholder perspectives on establishing a community reference group and terms of reference. In phase two, recommendations in phase one were identified to invite members to participate in the community reference group and to ratify the terms of reference through a focus group. Data were analyzed using a framework analysis approach. Results: Thirteen people (eight female, four male) participated in phase one. Participants represented diverse professional backgrounds including physiotherapy, nursing, general practice, health services management, hospital liaison, cultural safety education, health research and the arts. Three themes were identified in phase one; Recruitment and Representation (trust and relationships, in-house call-outs, broad-spectrum expertise and Aboriginal majority); Purpose (community engagement, research steering, knowledge dissemination and advocacy) and; Function and Logistics (frequency and format of meetings, size of group, roles and responsibilities, authority, communication and
Keeping the Bastards at Bay: Indigenous Community Responses to Research
ECU Publications, 2001
Researchers are not always readily welcome in Indigenous communities. The failure of researchers to adequately explain the research they are conducting or provide useful feedback to communities, as well as the potential to use the data to condemn the participants to a deficit position in society has resulted in many Indigenous communities being unwilling to host researchers. In this paper, the implications for the conduct of a research project that will operate in a number of urban and remote communities will be discussed. Research as a Process of Empowerment Research which involves Indigenous communities must be implemented in a way which creates opportunities for empowering the community. This is a notion which is supported by Williams and Stewart (1992) who see research as being a process whereby Indigenous communities can "confront continuing forms of social and cultural domination and imposition" (p 3) and a mechanism through which the development of knowledge can be liberating and empowering. The key to this idea lies in the nature of research partnerships and the conditions under which they are established.
Research with an aboriginal health service: building an effective partnership, step by step
2016
Principles to guide new researchers working in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health have been defined to ensure that relevant, effective and culturally respectful research relationships are formed [1]. This paper describes how a PhD candidate applied these principles in practice to establish a research partnership with an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (ACCHS). A series of steps outline the development of the research partnership. The research explored how organisational capacity could be strengthened to deliver health promotion using a participatory action research approach. Data was gathered from staff and through analysis of organisational systems.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Views on Research in Their Communities
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2006
Questions about research participation In Section 2 of this report, Indigenous questions about research participation are discussed. These questions revolve around issues of the who, why and how of participation. Key issues regarding the who of participation are: ª Communities do not necessarily refl ect kinship groups. ª Indigenous families are extended, often complex and diverse in structure. ª The mobility of families and family members, and changing carers, presents particular challenges for a longitudinal study of children. Consulting with Indigenous communities 'I would like to tell others about the value of having networks. It is really important to tap into networks, as people are really busy and very sceptical about research. Personally, I found the stronger my networks the more people attended.' 'The personal stories from the team members to begin with was kind of an ice breaker. It would also give us an opportunity to promote [the study] on a more 'Over time, the community meetings took better shape. At fi rst, we asked too many questions and really had too much on the agenda for the time we had.'
Research Involvement and Engagement, 2023
Background In Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) families have strong, cohesive, and nurturing cultural practices that contribute to effective family functioning and child rearing. These practices can lead to positive effects on children and communities, and include kinship relations, traditional knowledge systems, collective community focus, respect for Elders contributions, and spirituality. However, poor health and wellbeing outcomes exist across the lifespan for Indigenous Australians. Health programs, services and research that support Indigenous women, babies and their families are a critical investment to improve birthing and health outcomes and impact the life trajectories of Indigenous Australians. Preliminary results This protocol paper reports on the participant demographic information and feedback on the research process and reactions to participating in the yarning sessions. There have been 12 yarning sessions in Far North Queensland to date. The qualitative analysis of these will be reported on in future, with South East