title: Health sciences research and Aboriginal communities: pathway or pitfall?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide health researchers and clinicians with background information and examples regarding Aboriginal health research challenges, in an effort to promote effective collaborative research with Aboriginal communities.
  
  
  METHODS
  An interdisciplinary team of experienced Aboriginal-health researchers conducted a thematic analysis of their planning meetings regarding a community-based Aboriginal health research training project and of the text generated by the meetings and supplemented the analysis with a literature review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four research challenges are identified and addressed: (1) contrasting frameworks of Western science and indigenous knowledge systems; (2) the impact of historic colonialist processes upon the interface between health science research and Aboriginal communities; (3) culturally relevant frameworks and processes for knowledge generation and knowledge transfer; and (4) Aboriginal leadership, governance, and participation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Culturally appropriate and community-controlled collaborative research can result in improved health outcomes in Aboriginal communities and contribute new insights and perspectives to the fields of public health and medicine in general.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON.
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Smylie
authors.forename: Nili
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kaplan-Myrth
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tait
authors.forename: Carmel Mary
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chartrand
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hogg
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tugwell
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Valaskakis
authors.forename: Ann C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Macaulay
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D002170:Canada; D018672:Community Health Planning; D006281:Health Occupations / Q000193:education; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006302:Health Services Research; D006303:Health Services, Indigenous; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D004930:Inuit; D020380:Needs Assessment; D011634:Public Health