Knowledge translation with northern Aboriginal communities: a case study.

In recent years a new lexicon has emerged in the world of research, as terms such as “translating research,” “knowledge translation,” “knowledge exchange,” and “knowledge sharing” have become increasingly part of the language of health research planning and execution. The incorporation of these concepts into research activities represents a major step forward in the development of community/researcher partnerships and in the integration of research evidence into health policy and practice (Bowen & Martens, 2005). This is particularly true for research conducted with Aboriginal communities. Doing research “the right way” with Aboriginal communities has received considerable attention in recent years. Several documents on conducting research in an ethical and responsible manner now guide researchers and communities embarking on research partnerships (Canadian Institutes of Health Research, 2007; Ermine, Sinclair, & Jeffery, 2004; Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and Nunavut Research Institute, 2007; Schnarch, 2004). All espouse the need for a participatory research approach that includes reciprocal sharing of knowledge. However, the practice of knowledge translation and knowledge exchange remains at a formative stage in all arenas, despite the abundant and growing literature in this area. Knowledge translation has been termed an “under-developed element of the research process” (Armstrong, Waters, Roberts, Oliver, & Popay, 2006, p. 384), and much remains to be learned about putting existing and emerging concepts into practice. The gap is particularly notable in participatory research conducted with Canadian Aboriginal communities, where many feel that insufficient attention has been paid to the development of knowledge translation within specific knowledge systems and ways of knowing (Estey, Kmetic, & Reading, 2008; Smylie et al., 2003). While we know CJNR 2010, Vol. 42 No 1, 119 –127