Community-Based Participatory Research: Lessons From Sharing Results With the Community: Kahnawake Schools Diabetes Prevention Project

Background: Kahnawake Schools Diabetes Prevention Project (KSDPP) is an ongoing, community-based participatory research project with an Aboriginal community in Canada, promoting healthy lifestyles to prevent type 2 diabetes.

Objectives: To document lessons learned from sharing results with the community, and analyzing feedback from attendees.

Methods: In 2004, a researcher–community team delivered 16 sessions of a contextualized presentation of data collected from 1994 to 2002. The team documented the resulting questions and discussions, attendees completed anonymous questionnaires including open-ended questions, and presenters summarized their impressions.

Results: One hundred eighty-one people attended the presentations and question/discussion periods were summarized.One hundred sixty-two (82%) of attendees (87% female),completed the questionnaires; 99% understood the presentations and 142 (88%) stated they intended to improve their lifestyles. Qualitative analysis of discussions and open-ended comments categorized attendees' comments about KSDPP, the 1994 through 2002 results, the community, and lifestyle habits. Lessons learned included the time needed to develop and make the presentations, the importance of using community knowledge to guide the experience, ways of attracting an audience, difficulty of reaching men, use of feedback from those attending the presentations, and the need to plan prospectively for analyzing attendee feedback.

Conclusions: Community feedback was used to improve interventions and finalize interpretation of the results.