title: Talking About The Smokes: a large-scale, community-based participatory research project.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the Talking About The Smokes (TATS) project according to the World Health Organization guiding principles for conducting community-based participatory research (PR) involving indigenous peoples, to assist others planning large-scale PR projects.
  
  
  METHODS
  The TATS project was initiated in Australia in 2010 as part of the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project, and surveyed a representative sample of 2522 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults to assess the impact of tobacco control policies. The PR process of the TATS project, which aimed to build partnerships to create equitable conditions for knowledge production, was mapped and summarised onto a framework adapted from the WHO principles.
  
  
  METHODS
  Processes describing consultation and approval, partnerships and research agreements, communication, funding, ethics and consent, data and benefits of the research.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The TATS project involved baseline and follow-up surveys conducted in 34 Aboriginal community-controlled health services and one Torres Strait community. Consistent with the WHO PR principles, the TATS project built on community priorities and strengths through strategic partnerships from project inception, and demonstrated the value of research agreements and trusting relationships to foster shared decision making, capacity building and a commitment to Indigenous data ownership.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Community-based PR methodology, by definition, needs adaptation to local settings and priorities. The TATS project demonstrates that large-scale research can be participatory, with strong Indigenous community engagement and benefits.
authors.affiliation: James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia. sophia.couzos@jcu.edu.au.
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Couzos
authors.affiliation: Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, NT, Australia.
authors.forename: Anna K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Nicholson
authors.affiliation: Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Jennifer M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.affiliation: Aboriginal Health Service, Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, Hobart, TAS, Australia.
authors.forename: Maureen E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Davey
authors.affiliation: National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
authors.forename: Josephine K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: May
authors.affiliation: Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Pele T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Bennet
authors.affiliation: Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, NT, Australia.
authors.forename: Darren W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Westphal
authors.affiliation: Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, NT, Australia.
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003142:Communication; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012109:Research Support as Topic; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000095283:Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples