Synthesizing Current Evidence on Tuberculosis Information Campaigns in Canada’s North

By Stacey Woods, 2nd year MDP student

My name is Stacey Woods; I was born in the traditional lands of the Anishinaabeg, Cree, Ojibwe-Cree, Dene, and the birthplace of the Red River Métis, also colonially known as Winnipeg, Manitoba, or Treaty 1 territory, where I grew up with my parents and older brother. My background and ancestral ties are rooted in Ukraine and Britain, which actively inform my worldviews and perspectives as a woman, a daughter, a sister, a niece, and a friend to many in my circle and outstretched community. I wanted to begin by stating where I place myself within knowledge production. This goes for not only for this blog post but, for wherever I go in spaces where teaching and learning are being done. The work that is illustrated in this presentation is both directly and indirectly impacted by intersections of my identity and socially constructed sense of reality.

Recently, I had the incredible opportunity to contribute to knowledge translation efforts with the National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCCID), where I explored the evidence and knowledge on information campaigns on Tuberculosis (TB) in Canada’s North. In the expansive and often isolated landscapes of Canada's North, TB intervention, planning, and mitigation strategies present unique challenges that are distinct to certain regions due to infrastructure, resource management, and coordination among multiple sectors and partners. Advances in TB diagnostic technologies, coupled with proactive community-based initiatives, are reshaping how local community-based approaches to TB testing, screening, and treatment in Northern Arctic regions look like (i.e., regional planning, clinical operations, health human resources, etc.). Yet, the cornerstone of these advancements lies in effective TB information campaigns for understanding the effectiveness of knowledge mobilization for TB awareness.

These campaigns (i.e., social media, radio stations, news broadcasts, print media, online resources, organizational programs, community-based initiatives, etc.) are not just about spreading awareness—they are about empowering communities and building capacity. By educating individuals about TB, these campaigns encourage early detection and prompt treatment seeking. They play a crucial role in bridging knowledge gaps and ensuring health care resources are brought forward as an option and piece of knowledge to encourage and promote wellness practices (i.e., screening, diagnosis, symptom and disease management, etc.) for  those who need them most, regardless of the logistical, geographical, and infrastructural barriers.

It was a privilege to explore how information campaigns can effect change and improve public health outcomes, and at the same time, learn and appreciate the efforts that have and continue to be made to eliminate TB globally. Working alongside the NCCID team was inspiring, and I am deeply grateful for their commitment to advancing public health initiatives that stretch beyond the scope of TB management. I would like to personally thank my supervisor and mentor, Claudyne Chevrier (pictured on the right), as well as my other supporting supervisor, Margaret Haworth-Brockman (not pictured) for allowing me to contribute to TB knowledge translation and TB information campaign knowledge mobilization.

Connecting the Dots: Understanding Health Self-Governance from an Indigenous Landscape

By Stacey Woods, 1st year MDP student

My name is Stacey Woods, I live and work within the traditional lands of Treaty 1 territory in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I grew up in a small community in the neighborhood of Windsor Park with my parents and older brother. My work throughout the MDP program has been aligned with exploring and gaining a greater understanding of policy analysis, and more specifically and accurately, Indigenous health policy development. Through my exploration of health policy and my related academic endeavors within the MDP program, my objective within my first-year field placement was to apply myself through an Indigenous lens in an organization outside of government. 

Of note, I had previous experience in the Manitoba Government within the Indigenous Relations, Justice branch. I came across Waapihk Research from a mutual connection from my prior employment in government and became more interested in gaining perspective from the side of Indigenous health.

During my field placement at Waapihk Research I had the opportunity to dive into Indigenous health policy, or precisely, Indigenous self-governance and the operations, processes, and application of the Canadian federal health transfer policy for specific First Nations and Indigenous communities. I was tasked with completing deliverables such as a specialized report, progress report updates on a directed project, and a blog post on Waapihk’s website. I did this by conducting environmental scans and reading literature on self-government content from varying First Nation and Indigenous communities across Canada.

I can say without hesitation that my time spent at Waapihk Research has been overwhelmingly positive—the workspace environment, the relationships I have walked away with, and the work I was involved in built up my confidence and has set expectations for going into the workforce post-graduation. Especially within a competitive field like policy analysis.

Stacey at work in one of the Waapihk office spaces

Southern Chiefs Organization - Health Transformation

By Amber Balan, 1st year MDP student

The second half of my field placement at Southern Chiefs Organization (SCO), I was involved in work supporting the Health Transformation Team’s health human resource strategy file. I was involved in meeting and speaking to Health and Education Directors from seven different First Nation communities by zoom and in person interviews.  

I was invited to many communities and was fortunate enough to be able to travel to Little Black River First Nation on July 27 and toured the health office. Based on the interviews, I was able to see the health inequities faced by First Nations people living on reserve in Southern Manitoba coming from a grassroots level. Social issues on reserve are rampant and the pandemic further exhausted resources. 

Several themes emerged that are contributing factors to the overall health inequities faced by peoples living on reserve as well as the lack of access to basic infrastructure and services that are available to peoples living in urban centers. 

The work that I have done with Health Transformation gave me a greater understanding of population health.  Communities and populations do not choose to be sick and lifestyle is not a health determinant, rather it is the fallout of colonial imposed policies that have negatively impacted the social determinants of health for First Nations people on reserve. 

Health Transformation is in a unique position in time and space where the opportunity to deliver health services for First Nations people can be shaped in a way in which First Nations’ health inequities are properly addressed and services are delivered in a sustainable way.

My Field Placement with Te Whānau o Waipareira - Part 1

By Sarah Wood, 2nd year MDP student
 

Views from Devonport

This summer (well, it’s winter here), I am completing my international field placement at Te Whānau o Waipareira, an urban Māori organization in West Auckland, Aotearora New Zealand. I am working with Wai- Research, the kaupapa Māori  research unit at Waipareira, which provides research and evidence to support Waipareira’s programs and services.

As for the specific projects I am involved with, one of the main activities I’m working on is writing a literature review on kaumatua (elders) ageing. In accordance with the population trends in Aotearoa New Zealand generally, the population of older Māori is increasing and I am exploring what is currently known about Māori ageing and what gaps and opportunities exist in the current literature pertaining to this growing population. Other research projects I’ve been involved with include assisting with ongoing research on Māori mental health as well as proofreading various Wai-Research publications.

Mission Bay on our first trip to the beach

Thus far, aside from the practical research and writing skills I’ve been honing, it has been incredibly valuable to learn about kaupapa Māori  research and the ways Māori  culture and language are incorporated into the organization more generally. As an Indigenous person, there has been a lot of opportunity to share our cultures and histories and gain deeper understandings of the strengths, challenges, and opportunities present in our different Indigenous communities.

Aside from placement, I’ve been enjoying getting to know Aotearoa. Fellow MDP student Paige and I have spent weekends in Rotorua, Wellington, climbing volcanoes and visiting every island in Auckland. 

Sarah Wood and Paige Sillaby at a rainy lookout in Wellington

Sharing Back the Research with the Community

By Sarah Wood, 1st year MDP student

For the second half of my placement, I returned to Winnipeg to work on data entry and analysis of the information gathered in the surveys on maternal health services that I collected in Norway House last month. After a month or so of this work, I returned to Norway House for Treaty and York Boat Days to disseminate some of the preliminary findings to community members during the health fair. The health fair drew a wide audience on this rainy August day. The participants explored the displays from various health initiatives in and around the community and filled out a health fair “passport” to win prizes.  

Our table at the health fair

Through working with Norway House during this stage of the project, I was able to gain a deeper understanding of the importance of reciprocity and sharing back the information gathered through research. Research has a long colonial history that must be acknowledged and challenged. Research should not be extractive, but reciprocal. During the health fair, quite a few people took the time to read through a pamphlet which graphically displays some of the results of the survey. There seemed to be significant interest from both men and women about the future of maternity care in the community.

I was also able to witness an exciting presentation in another area of Indigenous health during Treaty and York Boat days. Cindy Blackstock, First Nations child welfare advocate, was honoured by Norway House for her work with Jordan’s Principle. Jordan’s Principle, which seeks to end delays due to jurisdictional disputes surrounding healthcare for First Nations children, is named for boy named Jordan who was from Norway House. 

 

I was able to learn a lot about Indigenous maternal health during my time in Norway House and Winnipeg, but was also able to learn about many other intersecting health issues and initiatives under way in this vibrant Cree community.  

I would like to thank Norway House Cree Nation leadership for hosting me during my placement and Councillor Gilbert Fredette for his support in Norway House, as well as the staff at the Health Division for their help in ensuring I was able to distribute the surveys! I would also like to thank the research team at the University of Winnipeg, Dr. Jaime Cidro and Betsi Dolin for their guidance and support!

Cindy Blackstock speaking in Norway House