NAHO National Conference 2009. Paani Zizman, Research Officer Inuit Tuttarvingat, NAHO

2. FACT SHEETS –
FINDING THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR
EFFECTIVE KNOWLEDGE TRANSLATION
Paani Zizman, Research Officer
Inuit Tuttarvingat, NAHO
Nov. 26, 2009

3. Evolution of Creating Fact Sheets
• Started with a key publication at Inuit
Tuttarvingat– Alcohol Approaches:
Theories, Evidence and Northern
Practice by Marja Korhonen, 2004
• Appendix contained 4 fact sheets on
alcohol abuse, tips for safer drinking
• These were published as stand-alone
fact sheets

4. Evolution of Creating Fact Sheets
• Our Governing Committee noted the need at the
community level for basic information on key
health topics
• This allowed Inuit Tuttarvingat to develop
resources that were lacking in Inuit regions:
– SIDS, gambling problems,
effects of harmful drugs

5. Evolution of Creating Fact Sheets
• Fact sheets were also seen as a way to compliment
larger discussion papers and reports:
Resilience: Overcoming Challenges and Moving on
Positively (booklet)
Resilience: Coping with Life’s
Challenges (fact sheet)

6. Fact Sheets: Published to Date
• Types of Alcohol • The Risks of Using Crack
Problems Cocaine
• Alcohol and Your Body • Resilience: Overcoming Life’s
Challenges
• Ideas for Safer Drinking
• Crystal Methamphetamine
• Simple Assessment Tests
• Safe Use of Prescription Drugs
• Pregnant or Planning to
Be? • What is Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome?
• How Can You Keep Gambling
From Becoming a Problem?

7. Fact Sheets Published to Date
• Series on Ethics and Research
Is part of a web based resource
on this topic
Research and research ethics are a
key focus of the Inuit Nipingit –
National Inuit Committee on
Ethics and Research

8. Process: How we do our work
• Collect current research and statistics on
the topic
• Fact sheets from the south tend to be
generic; they don’t speak to Inuit

9. Process: How we do our work
• Search for Inuit-specific information
Do a scan to see if other Inuit and
northern agencies have produced
• Find Inuit and northern images that
can be incorporated into the design

10. Process: How we do our work
• Include Inuit Knowledge or Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit
(IQ), and quotations from Inuit elders
• Presenting quotes from Inuit Elders as a techniques
that creates an environment of cultural safety.
• We have been
encouraged to use this
technique to support safe
learning environments as
documented in this poster

11. Process: How we do our work
• Framing layout –what needs to be communicated
• Internal/External Review
• Comments, suggestions are considered and fact
sheet revised
• Then into production – translation, layout, photos,
printing, distribution

12. Evaluating the Fact Sheets
• Internal Evaluation process completed in
July 2008 for Inuit Tuttarvingat
• Implementing one of the
recommendations:
– That Inuit Tuttarvingat improve its
performance monitoring and
reflective processes.

13. Evaluating the Fact Sheets
• Basic questionnaire developed:
• Sample questions:
– What did you think about the content?
– How are you using this resource? Who are your
clients?
– Do you know of others who should receive
this?
– Do you have suggestions for improving this
resource?

14. Response to the Fact Sheets
• Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention
Program in Nunavik: 800 copies of every
drug/alcohol-related fact sheet for
workshops in 14 communities
• What is SIDS? is one of most downloaded
resources on NAHO’s Web site

15. Response to the Fact Sheets
• A Community Wellness Coordinator in Igloolik,
Nunavut explains why she requested copies of our fact
sheets:
“Inuit Elders have expressed more holistic and
alternative care be considered, other than dispensing
pills for all complaints.”
• Suggestion for improving the fact sheets:
“I think the Inuktitut publications should try and use
old Inuktitut words by getting an Inuktitut Editor(s)
involved so they can edit the completed translations
done by younger Inuit translators.”

16. Challenges to Evaluating Fact Sheets
• Dedicated time and effort is required to do the
follow-up questionnaire
• Follow-up needs to be done within a few months of
sending the fact sheets
• If end user does not have e-mail access,
questionnaires must be faxed or done over the
phone
• Web stats only provide info about number of
downloads, not who the end users are or how the
fact sheets were utilized

17. Positives to Evaluating Fact Sheets
• Get to connect with health and wellness workers
(intermediaries) who use the fact sheets in their
everyday work
• Or who share/distribute the fact sheets with their
clients
• Get feedback on ways to improve the content
• Hear new ideas for future topics to explore:
“I would like to see publications on STDs, HTLV-1
Virus, AIDS and HIV and perhaps on Inuit traditional
family values, partner relationships, traditional
counseling methods, etc.”

18. Upcoming Fact Sheets
Topics include:
• Alcohol and the Teenage Brain
• Inuit Men’s Emotional Health
direct response to request from
Inuit men who participated in
our research project for more
male-oriented information

19. THANK YOU