Culturally Responsive Healthcare to Reduce Gender-Based Violence
Guiding Social Policy and Healthcare
The main goal of this project is to contribute new knowledge on the support systems and strategies that strengthen the capacity of healthcare providers and social service professionals to provide culturally responsive care to African Nova Scotians. Anti-Black racism and gender-based violence were highlighted as pandemics within the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the urgent need to respond. This project builds on prior research to address gaps found in literature and in research by exploring four objectives:
How can learning from COVID-19 inform social policy/healthcare?
1. What cultural and structural factors contribute to experiences of family violence?
2. How can healthcare systems incorporate culturally appropriate programming, resources, and services?
3. What principles are required to guide innovation in policy and health/social systems response?
Africentic Data Analysis
We used an Africentric data analysis process that was guided by Senator Dr. Wanda Thomas Bernard. Two video clips of interviews with Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard describe our research process.
Foundational concepts
Call to action to end both anti-Black racism and gender-based violence
Relationally Based Research Process
Our research included three phases:
1. Our African Nova Scotian researchers hosted ‘Kitchen Table Talks’ to collect stories from African Nova Scotian community members
2. Preliminary analysis to inform our Opinio Survey Development and data collection from health and social service providers
3. We conducted data analysis from both sources and knowledge dissemination
Our team met almost bi-weekly for a period of greater than two years. These regular meetings brought our team together in a very relational process that was at times emotional and powerful. Our analysis process is ongoing but has revealed a key finding of experiences of racism emerging more prominently than gender-based violence.
Sharing our Findings
We hired film makers to create two film clips that highlight our findings and inform education modules.
Research Team
Dr. Nancy Ross, Senator, Dr. Wanda Thomas Bernard, Abieyuwa Olowu, BSW, MBA, MSW, Sue Bookchin, BSN, MPH, Divine Gbeve Onyenike, BSW, Dennis Adams, BSW, RSW, Steph Zubriski, PhD(c)