NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Gwich'in Settlement Area, Sahtu Settlement Area, Dehcho Region, North Slave Region

Tags: health, public health, participatory research, COVID-19

Objective(s): To immediately explore knowledge gaps in 18 Arctic communities of varying size to document and understand the experiences, challenges, and consequences (positive and negative) of COVID-19 and COVID-19 prevention strategies on the health of Indigenous people.

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No.4884. Led by Arctic communities and informed by Indigenous methodologies, the research team aim to work with Indigenous people to immediately explore knowledge gaps in 18 Arctic communities of varying size to document and understand: 1. The experiences, challenges, and consequences (positive and negative) of COVID-19 and COVID-19 prevention strategies on the health of Indigenous people; 2. Recommendations from Indigenous people to inform culturally safe approaches to COVID-19 prevention, management, and treatment; 3. The experiences and challenges of implementing COVID-19 prevention strategies, including knowledge gaps, of public health/policy makers; and, 4. The experiences, challenges, and concerns experienced by healthcare providers in the prevention, treatment, and management of COVID-19, including recommendations to reduce barriers and increase accessibility for Indigenous people. A community-based participatory research approach ensures communities work with the research team on all aspects of the project. Two-Eyed Seeing is a concept describing the ability to see a situation from one eye with the strengths of Indigenous knowledge, wisdom, and ways of knowing, and from the other with the strengths of Western knowledge and ways of knowing, and learning to use both eyes together, for the benefit of all. The well-established Community Advisory Board of Elders, Indigenous leaders, and Arctic community members will guide all aspects of the project. The team will engage staff and community partners through email, teleconference, and videoconferencing. Data collection will consist of interviews performed remotely (via telephone or videoconferencing) with community members, Elders, healthcare providers, and policy makers. Sample sizes will be different depending on the size of each community. A research assistant in each community will be trained to conduct interviews according to questionnaires that have been developed in collaboration with the Community Advisory Board. Recruitment will be accomplished through a combination of public postings (on social media, community bulletin boards, and through email networks) and snowball sampling (asking participants and partners to recommend other participants from their own networks). Community members and Elders will be recruited by locally hired staff members via telephone as well as utilizing contacts available from personal social networks, through community Facebook pages, and the local Band Office or Hamlet. Community radio and a local rolling TV channel will be utilized to advertise the project and encourage participation. Staff will continue recruiting until the required number of participants is reached, noting refusal rate. Healthcare Providers and Policymakers will be recruited by University of Alberta staff, who will be connected to potential healthcare providers through the Community Advisory Board, which includes members in key healthcare and policy positions. The sample size was calculated based on community size and what the communities felt was feasible. 18 communities have requested to participate in the current study that vary in size and healthcare service access. The research team organized communities by population into large (> 5000 people), medium (1000-5000 people), small (< 1000 people), and very small (<100 people). An equal distribution of sex and ages will be recruited from each community. Number of interviews estimated by size category: -Large communities: 80 community members, 8 healthcare providers, 8 policymakers, 4 Elders -Medium communities: 60 community members, 4 healthcare providers, 8 policymakers, 2 Elders -Small communities: 30 community members, 2 healthcare providers, 4 policymakers, 1 Elder -Very small communities: 10 community members, 1 healthcare provider, 2 policymakers, 1 Elder Estimated Interview Totals: Community members: 810; Healthcare providers: 63; Policymakers: 86; Elders: 33. The research will be coordinated by a post-doctoral researcher living in Yellowknife who will coordinate with local partners in each community, assist with recruitment of local staff, and provide training and coordination based in the North. This project was designed in accordance with the OCAP (Ownership, Control, Access, Possession) Principles recommended by the First Nations Information Governance Council. Careful consideration and consultation with partners ensures that the data collected remains in the North, can be readily accessed by Northern stakeholders, and is subject to approval by community partners to ensure that sensitive traditional or local knowledge is not released. To capture these considerations, the research team has established research agreements with the Department of Heath and Social Services and community organizations, and a data sharing agreement with the NWT SPOR unit, Hotii ts'eeda. The research team will work closely with community partners, community research assistants, and the Community Advisory Board to ensure ongoing communication throughout the life of the project. The research team includes team members living and working in Northern communities, who will liaise with local partners and advisors on development of questionnaires, data collection, recruitment, data analysis, and dissemination. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from March 19, 2021 to December 31, 2021.