Development of a Collaborative Research Framework: The Example of a Study Conducted By and With a First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Women's Community and Their Research Partners

Abstract

The lack of research to effectively address inequity within Canadian society is an indicator of the failure of mainstream research approaches and practices to engage with all populations. The purpose of this paper is to describe the development of a collaborative framework defined by community members and their research partners as ethical, useful and relevant. Two essential phases in negotiating a collaborative framework for a community-research partnership, and the steps in a community based participatory approach are described: 1) establish guiding features of a collaborative framework: i) form an advisory group, ii) develop ethical guidance, iii) agree upon underlying theoretical concepts for the research study, and; 2) engage in research actions that support co-creation of knowledge throughout study processes. The case study example used to illustrate the collaborative framework was conducted by and with a First Nations, Inuit and Métis women’s community and research partners to culturally adapt a health decision making strategy. A community based participatory research approach fosters engagement among community and research participants and directs community-research collaboration. The collaborative framework structured ongoing negotiations within the community-research partnership to ensure that ethical obligations to research participants and the broader community were met and goals of the study achieved.