INDIGENOUS AND GLOBAL HEALTH RESEARCH GROUP
Previous Projects
Speaking of Health: Outside of the hospital
(Funded by and in collaboration with the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation)
The IGHRG facilitated a complementary seminar series to bring the knowledge and expertise within the Royal Alexandra Hospital outside the walls of the hospital and into the wider community. The seminars were tailored to various groups and will highlight the social determinants of health and local health concerns and issues to increase knowledge and awareness amongst staff and clients of various community organizations and within communities. Each of the seminars was developed collaboratively with local experts and adapted to the target audience accordingly. Click here for more information.
Community Nutrition Workshops
(Funded by the City of Edmonton)
In collaboration with the City of Edmonton’s Family and Community Support Services Program (FCSS), the IGHRG partnered with community organizations throughout the city to support healthy food and nutrition services provided to the most vulnerable populations. The IGHRG collected recipes and snack lists from organizations identified by FCSS to review and modify to improve nutritional content in a cost-effective way. Click here for more information and click here to view the workshop presentation.
International Polar Year
Nuts and Bolts of Research: Community Based Skills Development and Training Program
(Funded by International Polar Year (IPY))
The training course “Nuts and Bolts of Research” was a community based skills development and training program designed and run by Professor Sangita Sharma, Endowed Chair of Indigenous and Global Health, University of Alberta. Professor Sharma was assisted by Dr. Francis Zotor and Megan Lukasewich, both members of the Indigenous and Global Health Research Group. The training session took place over a three day period in the fall of 2011 (November 7-9) at Aurora College in Inuvik, Northwest Territories (NT), and was funded by the International Polar Year. The session was also suppported both by the Aurora College and the Aurora Research Institute. (Read more…)
Zhiiwaapenewin Akino’maagewin: Teaching to Prevent Diabetes
(in partnership with Dr. Joel Gittelsohn, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health)
Epidemic rates of diabetes among Native North Americans demand novel solutions. “Zhiiwaapenewin Akino’maagewin: Teaching to Prevent Diabetes” was a community-based diabetes prevention program based in schools, food stores, and health offices in seven First Nations in northwestern Ontario, Canada. Program interventions in these three types of institutions included implementations of Grades 3 and 4 healthy lifestyles curricula; stocking and labeling of healthier foods and healthy recipes cooking demonstrations and taste tests; and mass media efforts and community events held by health agencies. A total of 156 posters were placed in community locations; radio; cable TV and newsletters were utilized. Interviews revealed that the program was culturally acceptable and relevant and suggestions for improvement were made. These findings will be used to plan an expanded trial in several Native North American communities. Click here for more information. Click to view publications.
Apache Healthy Stores
(in partnership with Dr. Joel Gittelsohn, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health)
Diabetes, obesity, and heart disease are severe problems among the White Mountain and San Carlos Apache. Most of the problems are related to a changing lifestyle. Eating a diet that is low in fat and sugar and high in fiber is part of improving lifestyle. The Apache Healthy Stores Program was created to address these problems by working to improve healthy food availability and to promote healthy eating. The development and use of a population-specific food frequency questionnaire was used to develop, implement and evaluate a food store-based nutrition intervention to reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
Goals:
– To improve the availability of healthy foods in local stores.
– To promote the purchase of healthy food alternatives in local stores using health communications approaches.
– To evaluate how successful the program is in increasing knowledge and changing food purchasing, preparation and consumption.
Features:
– One year intervention period: March 2003-March 2004.
– Involved 15 small and large food stores located on the San Carlos and White Mountain Apache reservations.
– Messages developed with approval and participation of tribal leaders.
– After a positive evaluation, in mid-2005 work began to make the AHS intervention sustainable in the community setting.
– Click here for more information
– Click to view publications
Navajo Healthy Stores
(in partnership with Dr. Joel Gittelsohn, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health)
Development of a quantitative food frequency questionnaire and assessment of nutritional intake for the development, implementation and evaluation of a nutritional intervention program. Click to view publications.
Baltimore Healthy Stores
(in partnership with Dr. Joel Gittelsohn, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health)
We present the results of a trial in Baltimore City to increase the availability and sales of healthier food options in local stores, through partnerships, with local schools, food store owners, and community and youth organizations to create “healthy eating zones” around selected Baltimore City schools. Click here for more information. Click to view publications.