The Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health (CIHR-IAPH) is committed to the ideal of partnership in health research. We recognize that in the past, some aboriginal communities had negative experiences with health researchers who came in without adequate consultation, then left without explaining what their research had found. Many communities did not feel that they benefited from the research, partly because they may not have been consulted in the beginning of the process.
The days of doing health research to or for aboriginal people are over. Health research sponsored by CIHR-IAPH is done with, and where possible, by aboriginal people.
Our major program, the Aboriginal Capacity and Developmental Research Environments (ACADRE), is a good example of this partnership. The ACADRE program is creating a national network of centres dedicated to aboriginal health research. A major goal of the centres is to provide opportunities for aboriginal students to enter the field of health research, ensuring that an aboriginal viewpoint is included on issues of illness and wellness in our communities. An advisory board that has a majority of aboriginal members governs each of the centres in the program providing guidance to research projects and making sure that the needs of the community are respected.
CIHR-IAPH provides funding and support for health research through Requests for Applications (RFA's). The RFA's will often require people to undertake their work in such a way that the community is directly involved in conducting research. For instance, an RFA asking for people interested in investigating the mental health of children and youth at risk is an aboriginal community based research program. Community based research requires researchers to have community involvement, respect community wishes in the research process, and to partner and communicate with the community in a culturally appropriate manner.
We also work in partnership with other organizations focused on aboriginal health. For example, in 2001, CIHR-IAPH provided a grant to the Noojimawin Health Authority; an organization to promote the development of culturally based health research, policies and programs for off-reserve aboriginal people in Ontario.
The Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health (IAPH) was established in June 2000, along with the twelve other Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Its role is to lead a national advanced research agenda in the area of aboriginal health and promote innovative research that will serve to improve the health of aboriginal people in Canada.
We encourage aboriginal communities and organizations that have an interest in health research to investigate the programs that we have to offer. Either look us up on the Internet or contact us at (416) 946-8057.
