Foreword from the CIHR Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' HealthAuthor(s): Jeff ReadingSource: Canadian Journal of Public Health / Revue Canadienne de Sante'e Publique, Vol. 96,SUPPLEMENT 1: Aboriginal Health Research and Policy: First Nations-University Collaborationin Manitoba (JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2005), p. S8Published by: Canadian Public Health AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41994441 .

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FOREWORDS

I commend the work of the AMC Health Information Committee, the Manitoba First Nations Centre for

Aboriginal Health Research, the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy (University of Manitoba), and the many individuals

whose work and commitment to positive change for our people are described within.

Ekosoni.

Foreword from the CI HR Institute

of Aboriginal Peoples' Health

Jeff Reading, PhD Scientific Director

Whereas lived reports

experience

a have plethora

investigated of

of

indigenous

research the reports have investigated the

lived experience of indigenous peoples living in Canada and abroad, few have struck the important balance between the pursuit of community health priorities and the pursuit of the highest standards of research excellence. This special supple- ment to the Canadian Journal of Public Health (CJPH), sponsored by Health Canada, is proof that such goals can be met exceedingly well. It provides direct research evidence that aims to stimulate strategic healthy public policy actions with the ultimate goal of improving on the pro- found disparity in health experienced by Aboriginal peoples of Canada.

The lesson learned by the process of community engagement, from the initial development of research priorities to the final sharing of results seen in this CJPH supplement, is that thoughtful, passionate community leaders working with skilled researchers can indeed shape research

products into effective health transforma- tion packages where information possesses the power to improve health. Knowledge gained through research shared by com- munities needs to be translated into action for such a transformation to occur in the health of populations. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research recognize the critical importance of Knowledge Translation (KT) across all fields of advanced health research and defines it as:

"the exchange , synthesis and ethically sound application of knowledge - with- in a complex system of interactions among researchers and users - to acceler- ate the capture of benefits for Canadians through improved healthy more effective health services and a strengthened health care system Clearly, the editors have taken great care

to arrange the articles in a sequenced order so that the reader is carried through a jour- ney to discover new understandings that

are based on groundwork laid by earlier papers. Thus, I encourage everyone inter- ested in Aboriginal/indigenous health issues, both in Canada and abroad, to take a careful read of this series of manuscripts, and assess its value both in terms of process and evidence contained within its parts and as a whole.

That Aboriginal community research needs to find a voice in national and interna- tional journals seems obvious. Yet this sim- ple idea, expressed in elegant community- partnered research, underscores that the starting point to be recognized and pur- sued by progressive public health science journals such as the CJPH can be achieved with outstanding results. One key is to rec- ognize the thoroughly multi-, inter- and cross-disciplinary nature of Aboriginal community-based inquiry.

The authors present many important themes in research domains as diverse as history, research policy environment and capacity building, and an Aboriginal holis- tic world view of health and well-being, all investigated using appropriate qualitative and quantitative research tools in a search for new understanding. CJPH is to be con- gratulated for its vision and commitment to translating Aboriginal health research and supporting the legitimate aspirations of Aboriginal peoples for the attainment of optimal health and well-being.

S8 REVUE CANADIENNE DE SANTÉ PUBLIQUE VOLUME 96, SUPPLÉMENT 1

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