Grant: Dissemination Events - PA: First Nations, Inuit and Métis Health

The First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study (FNFNES) collected nutrition and environmental contaminant data from 21 First Nations communities in British Columbia in 2008 and 2009 (www.fnfnes.ca). Results have since been communicated back to each community through presentations and written reports. The study follows CIHR's guidelines for health research involving Aboriginal people and Ownership, Control, Access and Possession (OCAP) principals, hence, we need to return the data to the First Nation communities. We conducted an Interest Assessment and results show that communities are very interested in receiving training in data management and analysis so that they could conduct further data analysis themselves. Communities have also expressed the desire to use this data for public health interventions and to identify priority areas for further research. Training on how to effectively manage and use the data will develop a greater understanding at the community level of the study specifically and of research methods and statistical analysis in general thereby disseminating knowledge. The capacity developed through this session will further the ability of First Nations communities to use the results collected from FNFNES to answer specific questions and/or develop further research projects. This training workshop will take place in three different locations within British Columbia (Smithers, Fort St. John and Vancouver). Each of the 21 participant communities will be invited to send one individual to participate in the workshop which will last one and a half days and will take place tentatively in the last two weeks of October, 2011. This workshop will be an important knowledge dissemination event as it will present the community's data back to the community and will enable community members to use their data to address their interests, priorities and plan for future public health intervention programs.