Papers by Alison Granger-Brown
Canadian Family Physician, Feb 1, 2008
This health research began within a provincial correctional centre for women, with a vision to en... more This health research began within a provincial correctional centre for women, with a vision to engage women in their own recovery and to help women enhance their health and well-being. Building a team For this participatory research, we developed an interdisciplinary, prison community-based research team composed of academic researchers, contractors, women in the provincial correctional system (peer researchers), and health policy makers. Engaging the women in the research process offered a win-win situation for everyone. 1 This methodology is not always easy, but it often creates opportunities for change in all those involved.
Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 2011
The majority of women serving short-term sentences in provincial prisons in Canada are incarcerat... more The majority of women serving short-term sentences in provincial prisons in Canada are incarcerated for illegal activities involving alcohol and substance use. Although there is a wealth of research on substance use among those serving sentences within the federal prison system, little of that literature addresses the needs and experiences of women prisoners. Additionally, very scant research exists on the
Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien, 2008
This health research began within a provincial correctional centre for women, with a vision to en... more This health research began within a provincial correctional centre for women, with a vision to engage women in their own recovery and to help women enhance their health and well-being. For this participatory research, we developed an interdisciplinary, prison community–based research team
Journal of Prisoners on Prisons
CMAJ Open, 2020
Background:During the transition between prison and community, people are at greatly increased ri... more Background:During the transition between prison and community, people are at greatly increased risk for adverse health outcomes. This study describes a peer health mentoring program that supports women in the first 3 days after their release from a provincial correctional facility in British Columbia.Methods:We used a participatory health research framework to develop multimethod processes to describe the Unlocking the Gates Peer Health Mentoring Program. Mentors are women with incarceration experience. Between 2013 and 2018, women released from Alouette Correctional Centre for Women were invited to access the program. All program clients were invited to participate in the surveys and interviews. We analyzed survey and interview data using descriptive analysis for quantitative data and content analysis for qualitative data.Results:There were 346 program contacts from 340 women over the study period. For every contact, a telephone interview was conducted. Among the 346 contacts, 173 women met their mentor, of whom 172 (99.4%) completed the intake and consent forms. A total of 105 women (61.0%) completed a program activity feedback survey at the end of the mentoring period. Women identified a range of needed supports during the transition from prison to community, including access to clothing, social assistance, housing and health care. Participants described a mix of emotions surrounding release, including excitement, anxiety, hope, and a wish for understanding and support. Within 3 days of release, 49 participants (46.7%) had accessed a family physician, and 89 (84.8%) had accessed at least 1 community resource. Ninety-eight participants (93.3%) reported that their mentor assisted them in accessing community resources.Interpretation:Peer health mentoring provides valuable, multifaceted support in helping women to navigate health and social services and to meet their basic needs. Strengthening health supports during the transition from prison to community is critical to promoting the health and well-being of women leaving prison.
International Journal of Prisoner Health, 2009
This paper describes the development of a unique prison participatory research project, in which ... more This paper describes the development of a unique prison participatory research project, in which incarcerated women formed a research team, the research activities and the lessons learned. The participatory action research project was conducted in the main short sentence minimum/medium security women's prison located in a Western Canadian province. An ethnographic multi-method approach was used for data collection and analysis. Quantitative data was collected by surveys and analysed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data was collected from orientation package entries, audio recordings, and written archives of research team discussions, forums and debriefings, and presentations. These data and ethnographic observations were transcribed and analysed using iterative and interpretative qualitative methods and NVivo 7 software. Up to 15 women worked each day as prison research team members; a total of 190 women participated at some time in the project between November 2005 and August 2007. Incarcerated women peer researchers developed the research processes including opportunities for them to develop leadership and technical skills. Through these processes, including data collection and analysis, nine health goals emerged. Lessons learned from the research processes were confirmed by the common themes that emerged from thematic analysis of the research activity data. Incarceration provides a unique opportunity for engagement of women as expert partners alongside academic researchers and primary care workers in participatory research processes to improve their health.
International Journal of Prisoner Health, 2009
This paper describes the development of a unique prison participatory research project, in which ... more This paper describes the development of a unique prison participatory research project, in which incarcerated women formed a research team, the research activities and the lessons learned. The participatory action research project was conducted in the main short sentence minimum/medium security women's prison located in a Western Canadian province. An ethnographic multi-method approach was used for data collection and analysis. Quantitative data was collected by surveys and analysed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data was collected from orientation package entries, audio recordings, and written archives of research team discussions, forums and debriefings, and presentations. These data and ethnographic observations were transcribed and analysed using iterative and interpretative qualitative methods and NVivo 7 software. Up to 15 women worked each day as prison research team members; a total of 190 women participated at some time in the project between November 2005 and August 2007. Incarcerated women peer researchers developed the research processes including opportunities for them to develop leadership and technical skills. Through these processes, including data collection and analysis, nine health goals emerged. Lessons learned from the research processes were confirmed by the common themes that emerged from thematic analysis of the research activity data. Incarceration provides a unique opportunity for engagement of women as expert partners alongside academic researchers and primary care workers in participatory research processes to improve their health.
Global Health Promotion, 2009
Objectives: the purpose of this research was to determine the feasibility of engaging incarcerate... more Objectives: the purpose of this research was to determine the feasibility of engaging incarcerated women in community-based participatory research and to identify, by and with the women, the health concerns to be addressed. Design: the integration of primary health care, community-based participatory research, a settings approach to health promotion and transformative action research guided the overall design of this study. Participants: Incarcerated women, correctional centre staff and academic researchers participated collaboratively. Setting. The study was conducted in the main short sentence (two years or less) minimum/medium security women's correctional centre in a Canadian province. Results: In-depth interviews were conducted with 16 incarcerated women; in-depth group interviews were facilitated with 16 correctional centre staff. Twenty-one themes, which emerged from participatory, inductive and content analysis of the data, were presented at a face-to-face meeting attended by 120 incarcerated women, 10 correctional centre staff and 5 academic researchers. Underlying values and principles for the project were identified prior to a discussion of the results. During the course of this meeting, the themes were converged into five major categories: addictions and mental health; HIV, hepatitis and infections; health care in prison; life skills and re-entry into society (including homelessness and housing); and children, family and relationships. Numerous suggestions for health interventions and participatory projects were generated, each relating to one of the five major categories. Conclusions: this study was unique in that, to our knowledge, no other studies have utilized community-based participatory research methods in which incarcerated women played a role in designing the research questions and tools, collecting the data, analyzing the data, interpreting the data and authoring the publications and presentations. This study demonstrated that it is feasible for incarcerated women to engage in developing and utilizing communitybased participatory research methods and that these methods can be grounded in a settings approach to whole prison health promotion.
CMAJ Open
reports grants from the First Nations Health Authority during the conduct of the study. No other ... more reports grants from the First Nations Health Authority during the conduct of the study. No other competing interests were declared. This article has been peer reviewed.
Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada, 2016
Canadian family physician Médecin de famille canadien, 2008
This health research began within a provincial correctional centre for women, with a vision to en... more This health research began within a provincial correctional centre for women, with a vision to engage women in their own recovery and to help women enhance their health and well-being. Building a team For this participatory research, we developed an interdisciplinary, prison community-based research team composed of academic researchers, contractors, women in the provincial correctional system (peer researchers), and health policy makers. Engaging the women in the research process offered a win-win situation for everyone. 1 This methodology is not always easy, but it often creates opportunities for change in all those involved.
Global Health Promotion, 2014
The purpose of this research was to engage, empower and enhance the health and well-being of inca... more The purpose of this research was to engage, empower and enhance the health and well-being of incarcerated women. The integration of primary health care, community-based participatory research, a settings approach to health promotion, and transformative action research guided the design of this study. A partnership between incarcerated women who became peer-researchers, correctional staff, and academic researchers facilitated the equitable contribution of expertise and decision-making by all partners. The study was conducted in a short sentence (two years or less), minimum/medium security Canadian women's correctional centre. Of the approximately 200 women that joined the research team, 115 participated in writing a 'paragraph of passion' while incarcerated between November, 2005 and August, 2007. Participatory, inductive qualitative, narrative and content analysis were used to illuminate four themes: expertise, transformation, building self-esteem, as well as access and support. The women organized monthly health forums in the prison to share their new knowledge and life experience with other incarcerated women, correctional staff, academics, and community members, and in doing so have built bridges and relationships, some of which have lasted to the present day.
International Journal of Prisoner Health, 2012
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to describe the development, by incarcerated women who wer... more Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to describe the development, by incarcerated women who were members of a prison participatory health research team, of a survey tool regarding homelessness and housing, the survey findings and recommendations for policy. Design/methodology/approach - A survey was developed by incarcerated women in a minimum/medium security women's prison in Canada. Associations were examined between socio-demographic factors and reports of difficulty finding housing upon release, homelessness contributing to a return to crime, and a desire for relocation to another city upon release. Open-ended questions were examined to look for recurrent themes and to illuminate the survey findings. Findings - In total, 83 women completed the survey, a 72 per cent response rate. Of the 71 who were previously incarcerated, 56 per cent stated that homelessness contributed to their return to crime. Finding housing upon release was a problem for 63 per cent and 34 per cent desired relocation to another city upon release. Women indicated that a successful housing plan should incorporate flexible progressive staged housing. Research limitations/implications - The present study focuses only on incarcerated women but could be expanded in future to include men. Practical implications - Incarcerated women used the findings to create a housing proposal for prison leavers and created a resource database of the limited housing resources for women prison leavers. Social implications - Lack of suitable housing is a major factor leading to recidivism. This study highlights the reality of the cycle of homelessness, poverty, crime for survival, street-life leading to drug use and barriers to health, education and employment that incarcerated women face. Originality/value - Housing is a recognized basic determinant of health. No previous studies have used participatory research to address homelessness in a prison population.
International Journal of Prisoner Health, 2013
Purpose - Women in prison throughout the world experience higher rates of mental and physical ill... more Purpose - Women in prison throughout the world experience higher rates of mental and physical illness compared with the general population and compared with men in prison. The paper finds no published studies that report on men or women in prison engaging in participatory health research to address their concerns about nutrition and fitness. The purpose of this paper is to describe a pilot nutrition and fitness program, which resulted from a unique prison participatory health research project. Design/methodology/approach - Women in prison designed, led, and evaluated a six-week pilot fitness program in a minimum/medium security women's prison. Pre- and post-program assessments included a self-administered questionnaire and body measures. Open-ended questionnaire responses illuminated the quantitative findings. Findings - Sixteen women in prison completed the program evaluation. Weight, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, and chest measurements decreased, and energy, sleep, and stress levels improved by the end of the program. Research limitations/implications - As a component of a participatory research project, incarcerated women designed and led a nutrition and fitness program, which resulted in improved body measures and self-reported health benefits. Originality Value - Incarceration provides opportunities to engage women in designing their own health programs with consequent potential long-term "healing" benefits.
Global Health Promotion, 2009
the purpose of this research was to determine the feasibility of engaging incarcerated women in c... more the purpose of this research was to determine the feasibility of engaging incarcerated women in community-based participatory research and to identify, by and with the women, the health concerns to be addressed. the integration of primary health care, community-based participatory research, a settings approach to health promotion and transformative action research guided the overall design of this study. Incarcerated women, correctional centre staff and academic researchers participated collaboratively. Setting. The study was conducted in the main short sentence (two years or less) minimum/medium security women's correctional centre in a Canadian province. In-depth interviews were conducted with 16 incarcerated women; in-depth group interviews were facilitated with 16 correctional centre staff. Twenty-one themes, which emerged from participatory, inductive and content analysis of the data, were presented at a face-to-face meeting attended by 120 incarcerated women, 10 correctional centre staff and 5 academic researchers. Underlying values and principles for the project were identified prior to a discussion of the results. During the course of this meeting, the themes were converged into five major categories: addictions and mental health; HIV, hepatitis and infections; health care in prison; life skills and re-entry into society (including homelessness and housing); and children, family and relationships. Numerous suggestions for health interventions and participatory projects were generated, each relating to one of the five major categories. this study was unique in that, to our knowledge, no other studies have utilized community-based participatory research methods in which incarcerated women played a role in designing the research questions and tools, collecting the data, analyzing the data, interpreting the data and authoring the publications and presentations. This study demonstrated that it is feasible for incarcerated women to engage in developing and utilizing community-based participatory research methods and that these methods can be grounded in a settings approach to whole prison health promotion.
International Journal of Prisoner Health, 2009
This paper describes the development of a unique prison participatory research project, in which ... more This paper describes the development of a unique prison participatory research project, in which incarcerated women formed a research team, the research activities and the lessons learned. The participatory action research project was conducted in the main short sentence minimum/medium security women's prison located in a Western Canadian province. An ethnographic multi-method approach was used for data collection and analysis. Quantitative data was collected by surveys and analysed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data was collected from orientation package entries, audio recordings, and written archives of research team discussions, forums and debriefings, and presentations. These data and ethnographic observations were transcribed and analysed using iterative and interpretative qualitative methods and NVivo 7 software. Up to 15 women worked each day as prison research team members; a total of 190 women participated at some time in the project between November 2005 and August 2007. Incarcerated women peer researchers developed the research processes including opportunities for them to develop leadership and technical skills. Through these processes, including data collection and analysis, nine health goals emerged. Lessons learned from the research processes were confirmed by the common themes that emerged from thematic analysis of the research activity data. Incarceration provides a unique opportunity for engagement of women as expert partners alongside academic researchers and primary care workers in participatory research processes to improve their health.
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Papers by Alison Granger-Brown