Skip to main content
Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique logoLink to Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique
. 1998 Mar 1;89(2):105–108. doi: 10.1007/BF03404399

Participatory Research with Native Community of Kahnawake Creates Innovative Code of Research Ethics

Ann C Macaulay 18,28,, Treena Delormier 38, Alex M McComber 38, Edward J Cross 38, Louise P Potvin 48, Gilles Paradis 58,68, Rhonda L Kirby 38, Chantal Saad-Haddad 18, Serge Desrosiers 48
PMCID: PMC6990238  PMID: 9583251

Abstract

Participatory research requires ethical guidelines to incorporate the needs of the partners, i.e., the researchers and the community. This paper describes the background, development and implementation of an innovative Code of Research Ethics developed for a participatory research project with a Native community in Canada. The document ensures that responsibility and control will be shared by both researchers and community throughout the project including joint publication of the results. It defines community control of data, means of resolving dissension at time of publication, incorporation of new researchers and the differences between community-based and academic researchers.

Footnotes

KSDPP is funded through the National Health and Research Development Program, Health Canada. Project #6605-4188-ND and #6605-4187-ND. Dr. Potvin is an MRC scientist (H3-17299-AP007270).

References

  • 1.Reason P. Three approaches to participative inquiry. In: Denzin NK, Lincoln YS, editors. Handbook of Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications; 1994. pp. 324–39. [Google Scholar]
  • 2.Mittlemark M. Balancing the requirements of research and the needs of communities. In: Bracht N, editor. Health Promotion at the Community Level. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications; 1990. pp. 125–39. [Google Scholar]
  • 3.McTaggart R. Principles for participatory research. Adult Educ Q. 1991;41:168–87. doi: 10.1177/0001848191041003003. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
  • 4.Green LW, George MA, Daniel M, et al. Study of Participatory Research in Health Promotion. 1994. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 5.Israel BA, Cummings KM, Dignan MB, et al. Evaluation of health education programs: Current assessment and future directions. Health Educ Q. 1995;22:364–89. doi: 10.1177/109019819402200308. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 6.Labonte R. Health promotion and empowerment: Reflections on professional practice. Health Educ Q. 1994;21:253–68. doi: 10.1177/109019819402100209. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 7.Potvin L. Methodological challenges in evaluation of dissemination programs. Can J Public Health. 1996;87(Suppl.2):S79–S83. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 8.Council of International Organizations of Medical Sciences. International Guidelines for Ethical Review of Epidemiological Studies. Geneva: CIOMS; 1991. [Google Scholar]
  • 9.Code of Conduct for Research Involving Humans. Tri-Council Working Group. Ottawa: Draft Document; 1996. [Google Scholar]
  • 10.Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. Appendix B; Ethical Guidelines For Research. Integrated Research Plan. Ottawa: RCAP; 1993. [Google Scholar]
  • 11.Association of Canadian Universities for Northern Studies. Ethical Principles for the Conduct of Research in the North. Ottawa: ACUNS; 1982. [Google Scholar]
  • 12.Tracking D, Masuzumi B, Quirk S. A Participatory Research Process for Dene/Metis Communities: Exploring Community-Based Research Concerns for Aboriginal Northerners. 1993. [Google Scholar]
  • 13.Inuit Tapirisat of Canada, Research Department. Negotiating Research Relationships in the North. 1993. [Google Scholar]
  • 14.American Indian Law Center. Model Tribal Research Code with materials for tribal regulation for research and checklist for Indian Health Boards. 1994. [Google Scholar]
  • 15.Matsunaga DS, Enos R, Gotay CC, et al. Cancer Supplement, Participatory Research in a Native Hawaiian Community. 1996;78(7):1582–86. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 16.Guidelines on Ethical Matters in AboriginalTorres Strait Islander Health Research. National Health and Medical Research Council, Commonwealth of Australia. 1991. [Google Scholar]
  • 17.Investing In Health: Sharing the Vision. Report of the Task Force on Health Research to the Medical Research Council of Canada. Ottawa: Medical Research Council of Canada; 1994. p. 15. [Google Scholar]
  • 18.Freeman WL. Making research consent forms informative and understandable: The experience of the Indian Health Service. Cambridge Q Healthcare Ethics. 1994;3:510–20. doi: 10.1017/S0963180100005399. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 19.Macaulay AC, Paradis G, Potvin L, et al. The Kahnawake Schools Diabetes Prevention Project: Intervention, evaluation, and baseline results of a Diabetes Primary Prevention Program with a Native community in Canada. Prev Med. 1997;26:779–90. doi: 10.1006/pmed.1997.0241. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 20.Freeman WL. Research in rural Native communities. In: Bass MJ, Dunn EV, Norton PG, Stewart M, Tudiver F, editors. Conducting Research in the Practice Setting. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications; 1993. pp. 179–96. [Google Scholar]
  • 21.Macaulay AC. Ethics of research in Native communities. Can Fam Phys. 1994;40:1888–90. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 22.Scott K, Receveur O. Ethics for working with communities of indigenous peoples. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 1995;73:751–53. doi: 10.1139/y95-099. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 23.O’Neil JD, Kaufert JM, Kaufert PL, Koolage WW. Political considerations in health-related participatory research in Northern Canada. In: Dyck N, Waldram JB, editors. Anthropology, Public Policy and Native Peoples in Canada. Kingston: McGill-Queen’s University Press; 1993. pp. 215–32. [Google Scholar]
  • 24.Montour LT, Macaulay AC. Returning research results to the Mohawk community. CMAJ. 1988;139:201–2. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 25.Herbert CP. Community-based research as a tool for empowerment: The Haida Gwaii Diabetes Project example. Can J Public Health. 1996;87(2):109–12. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 26.Hennen B. Demonstrating social accountability in medical education (Editorial) CMAJ. 1997;156:365–67. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 27.Research Division of Indian Health Service, USA. Dr. William Freeman — personal communication, 1997.
  • 28.Maddocks I. Ethics in Aboriginal research: A model for minorities or for all? Med J Austr. 1992;157:553–55. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique are provided here courtesy of Springer

RESOURCES