Our
work in the health sector has focused on the community
dimensions of primary health care. We are particularly
good at enriching community participation processes,
capacity building of health professionals, program
development and planning, and at developing interventions
related to the determinants of health. Our work in
this sector is wide-ranging, and includes research,
community intervention, capacity building and evaluation.
RESEARCH
We have been engaged to do research to solve critical
health problems in communities around the world. Some
of this work has included identifying the determinants
of health for particular health challenges and designing
interventions, solving critical problems at the community
level, and assisting health agencies to address complex
health problems.
COMMUNITY HEALTH INTERVENTIONS
We help communities and agencies that work with
communities to design interventions to address critical
health problems. Some of these interventions are related
to single issues such as malaria, AIDS, alcohol and
drug abuse, family violence, etc. Others are more
comprehensive, addressing all the determinants of
health. We have done over twenty comprehensive health
plans with communities around the world. We have also
helped communities obtain funding for these plans
and interventions. All our work in communities builds
on the local culture and is characterized by broad-based
participation of community members.
CAPACITY BUILDING
We have worked with communities, health authorities
and departments to build the capacity of staff, managers,
board members, and local governments. We have conducted
seminars, workshops and conferences, facilitated mentoring
relationships and developed manuals and curriculum
for health professionals and for community members.
We have also developed an accredited training program
for community health professionals.
EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENTS
We have conducted evaluations of everything from complex
environmental and community health research programs
involving dozens of scientists and many partner institutions
to small community programs attempting to address
very localized health challenges. These processes
almost always involve some kind of assessment of conditions
and the co-design of interventions leading to solutions.
SAMPLE PROJECTS
Canada
A series of regional conferences across Canada focused
on assisting Aboriginal communities and professional
agencies to deal with sexual abuse linked to the residential
school experience (2003).
Canada
Research funded by the Aboriginal Healing Foundation
into the determinants of family violence in aboriginal
communities. It involved a comprehensive literature
review, a national best practices survey and the development
of extensive recommendations. The report, Aboriginal
Domestic Violence in Canada, is available from
Aboriginal Healing Foundation (2003).
Ethiopia, Uganda and Kenya
Research funded by the International Development Research
Centre focused on strengthening the interventions
and impacts of eco-health research projects in Ethiopia,
Uganda and Kenya. The report,
Interventions and Impacts, can be obtained from
IDRC (2002).
Canada
A two-year project with the Nuxalk Nation in British
Columbia to build community capacity for addressing
a complex web of health and social issues which culminated
in the development of a ten-year COMMUNITY
HEALING AND DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2001).
Canada
Research funded by Health Canada focused on developing
a methology for measuring community capacity to address
the determinants of health. This project lead to a
production of a manual entitled Assessing
Community Capacity for Change (2000).
Benin
An assessment of information and communication technology
within primary health care programs in central Benin
for the International Development Research Centre
(IDRC), Ottawa (1996).
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