One Indigenous Community's Journey Towards Water Security: A Transdisciplinary Reflection on Drinking Water Advisories and Pathways Forward
Background: Water quality in on-reserve Indigenous communities in Ontario is concerning, with issues ranging from deteriorating water quality to issues with regulation and support. As a result, many communities are placed under a Drinking Water Advisory (DWA), which, at its most severe, indicates wa...
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ftmcmaster:oai:macsphere.mcmaster.ca:11375/24913 2024-09-15T18:06:50+00:00 One Indigenous Community's Journey Towards Water Security: A Transdisciplinary Reflection on Drinking Water Advisories and Pathways Forward Drinking Water Advisories and Pathways Forward Lucier, Kayla Jane Dickson-Anderson, Sarah Schuster-Wallace, Corinne Health Research Methodology 2019 http://hdl.handle.net/11375/24913 en eng http://hdl.handle.net/11375/24913 First Nations Indigenous Drinking Water Water Advisories Community-Based Participatory Research Traditional Knowledge Canada Thesis 2019 ftmcmaster 2024-06-26T04:35:26Z Background: Water quality in on-reserve Indigenous communities in Ontario is concerning, with issues ranging from deteriorating water quality to issues with regulation and support. As a result, many communities are placed under a Drinking Water Advisory (DWA), which, at its most severe, indicates water is not safe for use or consumption. Between 2004 and 2013, approximately 70% of all on-reserve communities in Ontario were under at least one DWA. While designed to protect physical health, DWAs have widespread impacts on health and wellbeing. However, little is known about First Nation individuals’ thoughts, feelings, and experiences living under a DWA. Purpose: To unpack and explore the broad impacts of a Boil Water Advisory (BWA) from the perspective of community members on a reserve in Northern Ontario and provide considerations for current and future BWA management. Methods: Methodological choices were driven by the principles of community-based participatory research. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data. Two hundred and twenty-six questionnaires were distributed. Fifteen Elders and 22 key informants (KIs) were contacted for an interview. Results: Forty-four (19.5%) individuals completed a questionnaire. Eight Elders and 16 KIs participated in 20 interviews. Questionnaire sections were used to frame the data analysis, which fell under five major themes: 1) Community Context; 2) Knowledge of BWAs; 3) Living Under a BWA; 4) Water and Health; and, 5) Pathways Forward. Conclusions: Responses illuminated gaps where education surrounding best practices for protecting health would be crucial moving forward. They also highlighted that women are an important target audience for education. Points also emerged where communication with community members and stakeholders would be key to understanding the impacts and outcomes of DWAs. Additionally, this community, and others experiencing a DWA, should consider greater involvement in water management by younger individuals, to ensure that all ... Thesis First Nations MacSphere (McMaster University) |
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First Nations Indigenous Drinking Water Water Advisories Community-Based Participatory Research Traditional Knowledge Canada |
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First Nations Indigenous Drinking Water Water Advisories Community-Based Participatory Research Traditional Knowledge Canada Lucier, Kayla Jane One Indigenous Community's Journey Towards Water Security: A Transdisciplinary Reflection on Drinking Water Advisories and Pathways Forward |
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First Nations Indigenous Drinking Water Water Advisories Community-Based Participatory Research Traditional Knowledge Canada |
description |
Background: Water quality in on-reserve Indigenous communities in Ontario is concerning, with issues ranging from deteriorating water quality to issues with regulation and support. As a result, many communities are placed under a Drinking Water Advisory (DWA), which, at its most severe, indicates water is not safe for use or consumption. Between 2004 and 2013, approximately 70% of all on-reserve communities in Ontario were under at least one DWA. While designed to protect physical health, DWAs have widespread impacts on health and wellbeing. However, little is known about First Nation individuals’ thoughts, feelings, and experiences living under a DWA. Purpose: To unpack and explore the broad impacts of a Boil Water Advisory (BWA) from the perspective of community members on a reserve in Northern Ontario and provide considerations for current and future BWA management. Methods: Methodological choices were driven by the principles of community-based participatory research. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data. Two hundred and twenty-six questionnaires were distributed. Fifteen Elders and 22 key informants (KIs) were contacted for an interview. Results: Forty-four (19.5%) individuals completed a questionnaire. Eight Elders and 16 KIs participated in 20 interviews. Questionnaire sections were used to frame the data analysis, which fell under five major themes: 1) Community Context; 2) Knowledge of BWAs; 3) Living Under a BWA; 4) Water and Health; and, 5) Pathways Forward. Conclusions: Responses illuminated gaps where education surrounding best practices for protecting health would be crucial moving forward. They also highlighted that women are an important target audience for education. Points also emerged where communication with community members and stakeholders would be key to understanding the impacts and outcomes of DWAs. Additionally, this community, and others experiencing a DWA, should consider greater involvement in water management by younger individuals, to ensure that all ... |
author2 |
Dickson-Anderson, Sarah Schuster-Wallace, Corinne Health Research Methodology |
format |
Thesis |
author |
Lucier, Kayla Jane |
author_facet |
Lucier, Kayla Jane |
author_sort |
Lucier, Kayla Jane |
title |
One Indigenous Community's Journey Towards Water Security: A Transdisciplinary Reflection on Drinking Water Advisories and Pathways Forward |
title_short |
One Indigenous Community's Journey Towards Water Security: A Transdisciplinary Reflection on Drinking Water Advisories and Pathways Forward |
title_full |
One Indigenous Community's Journey Towards Water Security: A Transdisciplinary Reflection on Drinking Water Advisories and Pathways Forward |
title_fullStr |
One Indigenous Community's Journey Towards Water Security: A Transdisciplinary Reflection on Drinking Water Advisories and Pathways Forward |
title_full_unstemmed |
One Indigenous Community's Journey Towards Water Security: A Transdisciplinary Reflection on Drinking Water Advisories and Pathways Forward |
title_sort |
one indigenous community's journey towards water security: a transdisciplinary reflection on drinking water advisories and pathways forward |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/11375/24913 |
genre |
First Nations |
genre_facet |
First Nations |
op_relation |
http://hdl.handle.net/11375/24913 |
_version_ |
1810444203509940224 |