I Want to Walk with my Moko

Applying Community Based Participatory Research in the Creation of a Diabetes Prevention Documentary with New Zealand Māori

Alison Farmer, Jeffrey Gage, Ray Kirk University of Canterbury, NZ

Timothy EdgarEmerson College, Boston, USA

Overview

• Type 2 diabetes is almost three times more prevalent in the indigenous people of New Zealand (Māori) than non-Māori.

• Little is known about their personal understanding or experience of the disease.

• Need for innovative approaches to health communication

• Absence of theoretically grounded audio-visual materials

Aim

• To engage Māori health leaders and community members in a participatory process to develop a culturally relevant diabetes prevention documentary

• CBPR is a partnership approach to research that equitably involves community members, practitioners, and academic researchers in all aspects of the process, enabling all partners to contribute their expertise and share responsibility and ownership (Israel, et al., 1998)

Method

• Partnership Development• Community Advisory Board• Key Informant Interviews• Focus Groups (Hui)• Co-analysis of data (informed documentary

messages)• Theoretical approach determined (Collective

efficacy)• Documentary created

Strengths

• Reflects the cultural values of the participating community

• Research with a community rather than on a community

• Acknowledges different ways of knowing

• Documentary is a way for communities to prioritise their own health issues and for participants to share their own health narratives

“We’ve never been asked that simple question. What would you like to see in a film? We don’t get asked about Maori”

Challenges

• Gaining trust

• Time

• Varying communication styles

• Different world views and need for cultural humility

• Tensions regarding academic and community expectations