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      • HARVEST
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      First Nations Boil Water Advisories: New Methods and New Approaches for Risk Communication

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      ADAMS-THESIS-2019.pdf (3.527Mb)
      Date
      2019-05-10
      Author
      Adams, Diane J
      ORCID
      0000-0002-3465-7890
      Type
      Thesis
      Degree Level
      Masters
      Metadata
      Show full item record
      Abstract
      When issuing drinking water advisories (such as boil water advisories, or BWAs) in First Nations, risk communicators must consider the unique historical, political, social and cultural context. A small number of studies have examined risk communication and message mapping in the First Nations context but First Nations drinking water-specific literature is scarce. A community-based participatory research (CBPR) project was conducted with two First Nations and their tribal council in Saskatchewan. The study examined the applicability of risk communication and message mapping in the First Nations context, with the overall goals of improving local risk communication practices and contributing to a First Nations drinking water risk communication framework. Using the Science in a Circle © model, the research partners developed a four-phase CBPR project, rooted in mutual respect for Indigenous and western science worldviews. Through a series of initial community meetings, the research team determined a novel method would be required to investigate boil water advisory communications using culturally appropriate methods. The Participatory Dot-Mapping Method enabled local leaders, experts and everyday community members to participate in all steps of the research process, including data interpretation. Using coloured dots on a map-like response board, participants from each community used coloured dots to note their main concerns, questions and information needs around BWAs. Current and potential BWA communication tactics were also evaluated. Age-coded dot colours showed differences between life stages or age groups. The results suggest effective risk communication must consider factors unique to each community. These include frequency of advisories and preferred methods of communication (e.g. radio, social media, interpersonal communication). Door-to-door flyers and social media alerts were more popular in one community, with youth and/or Elders showing more interest in other electronic alerts (e.g. text, email). Door-to-door flyers and local radio alerts were more popular in the other community. Like non-Indigenous communities, more research is needed to understand how frequency of boil water advisories should inform their communication, and/or what kinds of messages can improve communications of BWAs. Communities should consider health promotion and education activities around BWAs between advisories. Overall, the Science in a Circle © approach and the Participatory Dot-Mapping Method generated actionable local policy knowledge for First Nations and their agencies.
      Degree
      Master of Public Health (M.P.H.)
      Department
      School of Public Health
      Program
      Public Health
      Supervisor
      Bharadwaj, Lalita A
      Committee
      Martin, Wanda; Elias, Brenda; Griebel, Philip; Ramsden, Vivian
      Copyright Date
      April 2019
      URI
      http://hdl.handle.net/10388/12088
      Subject
      Indigenous policy
      First Nations policy
      drinking water management
      risk communication
      risk perception
      boil water advisories
      crisis communication
      water security
      water policy
      community-based participatory research
      participatory mapping
      novel methods
      qualitative methods
      indigenous research methods
      Indigenous research
      dotmocracy
      Collections
      • Graduate Theses and Dissertations

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