ObjectivesGiven the impact of colonization and responding to Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Co... more ObjectivesGiven the impact of colonization and responding to Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, we aimed to provide baseline measures of First Nations children’s health and social outcomes in Manitoba, Canada. We also aimed to create a research process where Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers work collaboratively and in culturally safe ways. ApproachWe formed a team consisting of members of First Nation organizations and academic researchers. Knowledge Keepers from Anishinaabe, Cree, Anishininew, Dakota and Dene Nations guided the study, interpreted results and ensured meaningful knowledge translation. This retrospective cohort study utilized population-based health, social services, education and justice administrative data that allowed de-identified individual-level linkages across all databases through a scrambled health number. Adjusted rates and rate ratios were calculated using a generalized liner modeling approach to compare First Nations children (n=61,7...
ObjectivesThe overarching research objective was to examine, culturally adapt, and further evalua... more ObjectivesThe overarching research objective was to examine, culturally adapt, and further evaluate a mental health promotion approach called the PAX within 8 First Nations communities. This presentation describes a research process whereby First Nations community members and researchers worked in collaborative and culturally safe ways to reach their research objectives. ApproachBuilding on a strong existing relationship between Swampy Cree Tribal Council (SCTC) members from Northern Canada and academic researchers, a team was formed to prepare the research proposal. This team included community members, leaders from First Nations organizations, decision makers, program developers and researchers. This research was guided by two-eyed seeing, a principle developed by a Mi’kmaw Elder, that recognizes both Indigenous and Western ways of knowing, where one worldview does not dominate the other. The research process was compliant with Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession (OCAP) pri...
ObjectivesPAX, a mental health promotion approach, has been shown to decrease negative mental hea... more ObjectivesPAX, a mental health promotion approach, has been shown to decrease negative mental health outcomes and improve academic achievement. These effects have yet to be shown among Indigenous children. We evaluated PAX for improving First Nations children’s outcomes following a research process wherein community members and researchers work more collaboratively. ApproachBuilding on a long-term relationship with Swampy Cree Tribal Council, community members, First Nations leaders and researchers worked together through all phases of the project. This cluster randomized controlled trial used population-based health, social services, and education administrative data that allowed de-identified individual-level linkages across all databases through a scrambled health number. Our cohort of 725 children from 20 First Nations schools were randomized to PAX (n=469, 11 schools) or wait-list control (n=256, 9 schools). We used propensity score weighting and multi-level modeling to estima...
International Journal for Population Data Science, 2020
IntroductionThe Boys & Girls Clubs of Winnipeg (BGCW) provide out-of-school programs to children ... more IntroductionThe Boys & Girls Clubs of Winnipeg (BGCW) provide out-of-school programs to children and youth living in low-income neighbourhoods in Winnipeg, Canada. These programs aim to set participants on a path to success by supporting healthy behaviours, academic achievement and social skills. First Nation children and youth make up a substantial proportion of BGCW participants, but there are few empirical data available on how the programs influence health, social and education outcomes in this population. Objectives and ApproachWe linked BGCW attendance records for all Manitoba children born 1987-2010 to the individual-level administrative health, social and education data in the population-based Data Repository at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy in Winnipeg. The comparison group of non-participants was matched on age and neighbourhood of residence. We narrowed the cohort to First Nation participants by linking to datasets containing First Nation identifiers. Education ou...
ObjectivesPAX-Good Behaviour Game (PAX-GBG) is associated with improved mental health among youth... more ObjectivesPAX-Good Behaviour Game (PAX-GBG) is associated with improved mental health among youth. First Nations community members decided on a whole school approach to facilitate PAX-GBG implementation, by offering intervention training to all staff members in their schools. Our objective is to gain a greater understanding of how this approach was viewed by school personnel, in order to improve implementation in remote and northern First Nations communities.DesignWe conducted a qualitative case study using semi-structured interviews.SettingInterviews were conducted in First Nations schools located in northern Manitoba, Canada, in February 2018.ParticipantsWe used purposive sampling in selecting the 23 school staff from First Nations communities.InterventionPAX-GBG is a mental health promotion intervention that teachers deliver in the classroom alongside normal instructional activities. It was implemented school-wide over 4 months from October 2017 to February 2018.Outcome measuresW...
High rates of mental health problems, such as suicidal behaviours, among First Nations youth in C... more High rates of mental health problems, such as suicidal behaviours, among First Nations youth in Canada are a major public health concern. The Good Behavior Game (GBG) is a school-based intervention that provides a nurturing environment for children and has been shown to promote positive outcomes. PAX Good Behavior Game (PAX GBG) is an adaptation and enhancement of the GBG. While PAX GBG has been implemented in Indigenous communities, little research exists examining the cultural and contextual appropriateness and effectiveness of the intervention in First Nations communities. The present paper describes a protocol of the mixed-methods approach guided by an Indigenous ethical engagement model adopted to implement, adapt and evaluate PAX GBG in First Nations communities in Manitoba, Canada. First, implementation outcomes (eg, acceptability, adoption) of PAX GBG will be evaluated using qualitative interviews with teachers, principals and community members from Swampy Cree Tribal Counci...
ObjectivesGiven the impact of colonization and responding to Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Co... more ObjectivesGiven the impact of colonization and responding to Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, we aimed to provide baseline measures of First Nations children’s health and social outcomes in Manitoba, Canada. We also aimed to create a research process where Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers work collaboratively and in culturally safe ways. ApproachWe formed a team consisting of members of First Nation organizations and academic researchers. Knowledge Keepers from Anishinaabe, Cree, Anishininew, Dakota and Dene Nations guided the study, interpreted results and ensured meaningful knowledge translation. This retrospective cohort study utilized population-based health, social services, education and justice administrative data that allowed de-identified individual-level linkages across all databases through a scrambled health number. Adjusted rates and rate ratios were calculated using a generalized liner modeling approach to compare First Nations children (n=61,7...
ObjectivesThe overarching research objective was to examine, culturally adapt, and further evalua... more ObjectivesThe overarching research objective was to examine, culturally adapt, and further evaluate a mental health promotion approach called the PAX within 8 First Nations communities. This presentation describes a research process whereby First Nations community members and researchers worked in collaborative and culturally safe ways to reach their research objectives. ApproachBuilding on a strong existing relationship between Swampy Cree Tribal Council (SCTC) members from Northern Canada and academic researchers, a team was formed to prepare the research proposal. This team included community members, leaders from First Nations organizations, decision makers, program developers and researchers. This research was guided by two-eyed seeing, a principle developed by a Mi’kmaw Elder, that recognizes both Indigenous and Western ways of knowing, where one worldview does not dominate the other. The research process was compliant with Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession (OCAP) pri...
ObjectivesPAX, a mental health promotion approach, has been shown to decrease negative mental hea... more ObjectivesPAX, a mental health promotion approach, has been shown to decrease negative mental health outcomes and improve academic achievement. These effects have yet to be shown among Indigenous children. We evaluated PAX for improving First Nations children’s outcomes following a research process wherein community members and researchers work more collaboratively. ApproachBuilding on a long-term relationship with Swampy Cree Tribal Council, community members, First Nations leaders and researchers worked together through all phases of the project. This cluster randomized controlled trial used population-based health, social services, and education administrative data that allowed de-identified individual-level linkages across all databases through a scrambled health number. Our cohort of 725 children from 20 First Nations schools were randomized to PAX (n=469, 11 schools) or wait-list control (n=256, 9 schools). We used propensity score weighting and multi-level modeling to estima...
International Journal for Population Data Science, 2020
IntroductionThe Boys & Girls Clubs of Winnipeg (BGCW) provide out-of-school programs to children ... more IntroductionThe Boys & Girls Clubs of Winnipeg (BGCW) provide out-of-school programs to children and youth living in low-income neighbourhoods in Winnipeg, Canada. These programs aim to set participants on a path to success by supporting healthy behaviours, academic achievement and social skills. First Nation children and youth make up a substantial proportion of BGCW participants, but there are few empirical data available on how the programs influence health, social and education outcomes in this population. Objectives and ApproachWe linked BGCW attendance records for all Manitoba children born 1987-2010 to the individual-level administrative health, social and education data in the population-based Data Repository at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy in Winnipeg. The comparison group of non-participants was matched on age and neighbourhood of residence. We narrowed the cohort to First Nation participants by linking to datasets containing First Nation identifiers. Education ou...
ObjectivesPAX-Good Behaviour Game (PAX-GBG) is associated with improved mental health among youth... more ObjectivesPAX-Good Behaviour Game (PAX-GBG) is associated with improved mental health among youth. First Nations community members decided on a whole school approach to facilitate PAX-GBG implementation, by offering intervention training to all staff members in their schools. Our objective is to gain a greater understanding of how this approach was viewed by school personnel, in order to improve implementation in remote and northern First Nations communities.DesignWe conducted a qualitative case study using semi-structured interviews.SettingInterviews were conducted in First Nations schools located in northern Manitoba, Canada, in February 2018.ParticipantsWe used purposive sampling in selecting the 23 school staff from First Nations communities.InterventionPAX-GBG is a mental health promotion intervention that teachers deliver in the classroom alongside normal instructional activities. It was implemented school-wide over 4 months from October 2017 to February 2018.Outcome measuresW...
High rates of mental health problems, such as suicidal behaviours, among First Nations youth in C... more High rates of mental health problems, such as suicidal behaviours, among First Nations youth in Canada are a major public health concern. The Good Behavior Game (GBG) is a school-based intervention that provides a nurturing environment for children and has been shown to promote positive outcomes. PAX Good Behavior Game (PAX GBG) is an adaptation and enhancement of the GBG. While PAX GBG has been implemented in Indigenous communities, little research exists examining the cultural and contextual appropriateness and effectiveness of the intervention in First Nations communities. The present paper describes a protocol of the mixed-methods approach guided by an Indigenous ethical engagement model adopted to implement, adapt and evaluate PAX GBG in First Nations communities in Manitoba, Canada. First, implementation outcomes (eg, acceptability, adoption) of PAX GBG will be evaluated using qualitative interviews with teachers, principals and community members from Swampy Cree Tribal Counci...
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Papers by Nora Murdock