Critchley, K., Timmons, V., Campbell, B., McAuley, A., Taylor, J., & Walton, F. (2006). Engaging the community: A case study in one rural community and the knowledge translation process. Journal of Rural and Community Development, 2(1), 75-85.
Description
This paper outlines a process for exchanging information and transferring research between communities and researchers. The authors emphasize that community outreach efforts are important participatory steps in building relationships between these two groups. The resource explains how residents of a small town in Eastern Canada worked together with local researchers to develop solutions to their most pressing health issues. Through the process of interactive engagement, researchers helped the community to consider research evidence while developing a plan to address a priority health concern. The concept/process of interactive engagement is central to this knowledge translation strategy. It is an important component of the Institute for Work & Health’s generic model for transferring research knowledge.
Steps for Using Method/Tool
1) Researchers conducted focus group sessions with members of the local community. They held separate sessions with three groups: parents, youth and local public and community health service providers. During each of these sessions, researchers asked participants about:
- Their previous knowledge about community health research
- The information needed to address their concerns and perceived challenges
- The priority health issues concerning the youth in the community
- The perceived strengths upon which to build strategies that address their concerns
- The perceived challenges to advancing strategies that address their concerns
2) The research team analysed the results from the focus groups and presented the major themes to the community advisory group (comprised of community members) for verification.
3) The team organized feedback sessions with members of the broader community to encourage dialogue/exchange.
4) The community selected a priority health issue.
5) Researchers provided evidence to support and help inform the community in making community-initiated strategic decisions to address their priority health issue.
Evaluation
The research team at the University of Prince Edward Island evaluated a series of six similar initiatives in small rural communities across the province as part of their Engaging the Community research project. Outcomes related to each of the individual initiatives varied. However, the team concluded that communities were more likely to be interested in research when it was particularly relevant to their current situation and when it addressed a pressing need, such as in the case of a perceived crisis.
Validity
The researchers established credibility by confirming the information that participants shared during focus group sessions (member checking).
Reliability
Community stakeholders (advocacy committee) verified relevant key themes resulting from the focus group sessions.
These summaries are written by the NCCMT to condense and to provide an overview of the resources listed in the Registry of Methods and Tools and to give suggestions for their use in a public health context. For more information on individual methods and tools included in the review, please consult the authors/developers of the original resources.
We have provided the resources and links as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by McMaster University of any of the products, services or opinions of the external organizations, nor have the external organizations endorsed their resources and links as provided by McMaster University. McMaster University bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external sites.
