Brief, Elana

Provides an overview of the scope of the community based research (CBR) process as it relates to research focused on girls and womens health, and gender and health related issues. Although it is not an exhaustive guide, it is intended to give readers a solid understanding of CBR. One of a series of four WHRN primers focused on key areas and innovative approaches in girls' and women's health and gender and health research. Our Common Ground was developed out of a dialogue between an academic researcher with a background in gender, women’s health, and community based research (Colleen Reid); a community based researcher and practicing social worker (Robin LeDrew); and an academic researcher with training in medical physics (Elana Brief). This dialogue was supported and encouraged by the Women’s Health Research Network (WHRN) co-leaders, WHRN members, as well as attentive and engaged external reviewers. Throughout the development of Our Common Ground we debated language, format, and the intended audience. We wanted to develop a research guide rooted in the experiences and practices of community researchers, a guide that reflected the current Community Based Research (CBR) environment, and one that can help new researchers connect with this approach. To that end we held a series of events and gatherings that were structured as conversations with individuals and groups interested in CBR. The document before you emerged from these conversations. In Our Common Ground we provide an overview of the scope of the CBR process as it relates to research focused on girls’ and women’s health, and gender and health related issues. Although it is not an exhaustive guide, it is intended to give you a solid understanding of CBR. We hope that you find ways to use this document to help you advance your thinking about CBR, girls’ and women’s health, and gender and health, and, ultimately to identify the kind of research that most captures your passion and imagination.

In the last few decades there has been a resurgence of interest in the social causes of health inequities among and between individuals and populations. This 'social determinants' perspective focuses on the myriad demographic and societal factors that shape health and well-being. Heeding calls for the mainstreaming of two very specific health determinants - sex and gender - we incorporate both into our analysis of the health gap experienced by girls and women in Canada. However, we take an intersectional approach in that we argue that a comprehensive picture of health inequities must, in addition to considering sex and gender, include a context sensitive analysis of all the major dimensions of social stratification. In the case of the current worldwide economic downturn, and the uniquely diverse Canadian population spread over a vast territory, this means thinking carefully about how socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, immigrant status, employment status and geography uniquely shape the health of all Canadians, but especially girls and women. We argue that while a social determinants of health perspective is important in its own right, it needs to be understood against the backdrop of broader structural processes that shape Canadian health policy and practice. By doing so we can observe how the social safety net of all Canadians has been eroding, especially for those occupying vulnerable social locations.