Current and ideal living arrangements and supports for Canadian adults with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: Part II-Perspectives from caregivers.

BACKGROUND: Caregivers supporting adults with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) report concerns regarding living arrangements and services for their adult children with FASD. Best practices for living support for adults with FASD are under-researched, and few studies have explored the experiences of caregivers whose children are adults. This study examined the perspectives of caregivers who support adults (18+) with FASD regarding: (1) current ways adults with FASD are supported with daily life activities; and (2) ideal future living arrangements and supports. METHODS: This article presents findings from the perspective of caregivers who support adults with FASD, as part of a broader project involving both adults with FASD and caregivers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 Canadian caregivers who live at home with an adult with FASD (aged 18+). Responses were examined using framework analysis, a structured approach to analyzing qualitative data. RESULTS: Caregivers described their experiences and perspectives regarding: (1) current ways adults with FASD are supported in their daily activities; (2) strategies for successful support; (3) ideal future living arrangements and supports; and (4) concerns for the future. Notably, almost every participant raised pressing concerns regarding the future living arrangements for the person they support once they are no longer able to provide care. CONCLUSIONS: This study explores caregivers' perspectives regarding living support needed by adults with FASD, which can inform support programs and housing services. Findings demonstrate an urgent need for policy change directed toward developing available, affordable, and appropriate housing for adults with FASD.

Indigenous communities and the mental health impacts of land dispossession related to industrial resource development: a systematic review.

Globally, many resource extraction projects such as mines and hydroelectric dams are developed on the territories of Indigenous Peoples. Recognising land as a determinant of Indigenous Peoples' health, our objective is to synthesise evidence about the mental health impacts on Indigenous communities who experience land dispossession due to industrial resource development (mining, hydroelectric, petroleum, and agricultural). We systematically reviewed studies that focused on Indigenous land dispossession in Australia, Aotearoa (New Zealand), North and South America, and the Circumpolar North. We searched Scopus, Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, and Global Health on OVID for peer-reviewed articles published in English from database inception to Dec 31, 2020. We also searched for books, research reports, and scholarly journals specialising in Indigenous health or Indigenous research. We included documents that reported on primary research, focused on Indigenous Peoples in settler colonial states, and reported on mental health and industrial resource development. Of the 29 included studies, 13 were related to hydroelectric dams, 11 to petroleum developments, nine to mining, and two to agriculture. Land dispossession due to industrial resource development had predominantly negative mental health impacts on Indigenous communities. The impacts were consequences of colonial relations that threatened Indigenous identities, resources, languages, traditions, spirituality, and ways of life. Health impact assessment processes in industrial resource development must expressly consider risks and potential impacts on mental health and respect Indigenous rights by making knowledge about mental health risks a central component to decisions about free, prior, and informed consent.

More than words: Using visual graphics for community-based health research.

With increased attention to knowledge translation and community engagement in the applied health research field, many researchers aim to find effective ways of engaging health policy and decision makers and community stakeholders. While visual graphics such as graphs, charts, figures and photographs are common in scientific research dissemination, they are less common as a communication tool in research. In this commentary, I illustrate how and why visual graphics were created and used to facilitate dialogue and communication throughout all phases of a community-based health research study with a rural Indigenous community, advancing community engagement and knowledge utilization of a research study. I suggest that it is essential that researchers consider the use of visual graphics to accurately communicate and translate important health research concepts and content in accessible forms for diverse research stakeholders and target audiences.RéSUMé: Avec l'attention croissante que l'on porte à l'application des connaissances et à la mobilisation communautaire dans le domaine de la recherche appliquée en santé, de nombreux chercheurs cherchent des moyens efficaces d'intéresser les responsables et les décideurs des politiques de santé et les acteurs communautaires. Bien que l'on utilise couramment des éléments graphiques de visualisation (graphes, diagrammes, figures et photographies) pour diffuser la recherche scientifique, on les utilise moins souvent comme outils de communication dans la recherche. Dans mon commentaire, j'explique comment et pourquoi des éléments graphiques de visualisation ont été créés et utilisés pour faciliter le dialogue et la communication à toutes les étapes d'une étude de recherche en santé communautaire auprès d'une communauté rurale autochtone, ce qui a favorisé la mobilisation communautaire et l'utilisation des connaissances de l'étude. Je suggère qu'il est essentiel que les chercheurs songent à utiliser des éléments graphiques de visualisation pour communiquer avec précision, et pour appliquer d'importants concepts et contenus de recherche en santé sous des formes accessibles aux divers acteurs et aux publics cibles de la recherche.