Grant: Planning Grants - PA: First Nations, Inuit or Métis Planning Activities

Evidence-based medicine (EBM) has been a mainstay of healthcare in Canada for over 30 years. A related concept, evidence-informed healthcare (EIH), has more recently become the standard process within our public health system. However, this evolution in the delivery of care has not been implemented in most First-Nations communities. We believe that there is a tremendous opportunity to change the health and lives of children living in First Nations in Ontario through the implementation of EIH. The Aboriginal Children's Health and Well-being Measure (ACHWM) is the first health and well-being measure specifically designed for First Nations children and youth. It has been tested in one community and we are ready to share this with other communities. We are seeking funding to travel to 3 First Nations to share the measure, and to prepare plans for adapting and implementing the measure, via 2-day workshops in each community. We are a collaborative team with a history of culturally sound research. Our members include a First Nations Health Director, a Canada Research Chair in Rural and Northern Children's Health, and a new researcher who focuses on Aboriginal children's resilience. We shared our work on the ACHWM with the health directors affiliated with the Union of Ontario Indians (Anishinabek Nation) on October 10th 2012, and are seeking financial support to enable the face-to-face discussions that must follow. These discussions are critical to the development of respectful relationships with First Nations and are essential for planning the next steps via new community-university partnership projects.