Grant: Project Grant

There is little research now available on how best to develop effective research-based health resources that meet the needs of Canada's culturally diverse population. We are proposing a multi-phased study based on community-based participatory research. Our aims are to 1) engage and work together with two different newcomer groups in Canada (Ukrainian and Syrian) to understand their experiences and information needs around two important child health topics (respiratory distress and fever), 2) work together to co-create and evaluate knowledge mobilization (KM) tools (health resources) on each topic with parents from each of the communities and 3) evaluate the engagement process. Our team includes internationally-recognized experts in KM with extensive experience co-creating KM tools (e.g., videos, infographics) with parents about child health topics. Further, we have experience working with multiple different cultural groups to understand their information needs and preferences for research-based health tools. We also have a pre-existing relationship with a key Knowledge User group, who identified these two newcomer communities to engage with, and a network of Knowledge User organizations for widespread distribution of the health tools. Understanding how best to work with and create KM resources for groups often underrepresented in science can empower them, creating a more just health system. This work will advance our understanding of how to work together with culturally diverse groups to create health tools that meet their unique information needs. As Canada's society becomes more diverse, it is important to understand the needs and preferences of different groups to improve KM strategies. We believe this work is critical to support the needs of Canada's diverse population, and enhance health outcomes and health equity among underserved groups.