Bridging research with practice to ensure that all people can participate in physical activity a risk factor for many chronic diseases

1. Testing integrated
knowledge translation
processes to improve
the participation of
children with disabilities
in British Columbia in
physical activity
Ebele Mọgọ, DrPH
@ebyral
2018 CAHSPR
Conference:
Shaping the
Future of
Canada’s Health
Systems

2. Ebele Mọgọ, DrPH
Post-doctoral Researcher, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University
Keiko Shikako-Thomas, PhD, OT Canada Research Chair in
Childhood Disability: Participation and Knowledge Translation. Assistant Professor,
School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Associate Member
McGill Institute of Health and Social Policy
Annette Majnemer, PhD, OT
Professor, Vice-Dean of Education, Faculty of Medicine, School of Physical and
Occupational Therapy McGill University
Jonathan Lai, PhD
Post-doctoral Researcher and CIHR Health System Impact Fellow, Faculty of
Medicine, McGill University
Te a m

3. Background and Rationale
• 4.6% of Canadian children
and youth have an
identified sensory,
cognitive, physical or
developmental disability1
4.60%
95.40%
• In British Columbia alone,
about 15% of the
population (over 500,000
people) identify as having
a disability2
15%
• Children with disabilities in Canada face
major systemic challenges to
participation (structural, information,
attitudes)3
• There is research evidence that
identifies the barriers and proffers
possible solutions3
• This research is typically not available to
those with the necessary power to
create recreational opportunities for
these children 3

4. Improving the methods for engaging
community and research partners in
discussing solutions related to leisure
promotion for children with disabilities
1
Tailoring and conveying research
information and stakeholders’ opinions
about participation in leisure to policy
makers
2
Opportunities
for Impact
Testing knowledge translation to policy
interventions.
3

5. Initiative
To use a
policy
dialogue to
bridge the
evidence to
policy gap.

6. 1
Disseminate research-based information on leisure
participation for children with disabilities to
decision-makers
2 Inform how researchers could
work better with policy makers
Objectives of the
Policy Dialogue
3
Gather stakeholders to discuss strategies
that promote participation for children
with disabilities in BC.

7. • Asked community and grassroot organizations to share successful strategies
and identify existing policy frameworks and evidence gaps
• We asked grassroots organizations to prioritize constructs within their chosen
framework (The National Recreation Framework)
• Conducted a systematic rapid review of the research literature on community-
based and policy interventions promoting those constructs (inclusion, access,
capacity building) as outcomes.
• Developed a targeted policy brief4 based on stakeholders preferred
formats for receiving information
Before the dialogue

8. At the dialogue
• The research team presented the current research
on children with disabilities and participation
• Gave participants opportunities to discuss
implementation considerations and generate
possible solutions to overcome barriers to
participation
• Presented the Jooay App previously chosen by
stakeholders, a listing of adaptive and inclusive
leisure activities across Canada

9. Post-dialogue Evaluation: Interview + Survey
34%
of participants were
from the provincial
government. Other
sectors represented
included the school
board, the municipal
government, and
NGOs.
67%
had experience
working with
people with
disabilities.
had a post-graduate
degree
had a bachelors’
degree.
93%
33%

10. Interviewees
By Sector
8%
25%
17%17%
8%
25%
Family & Children
Non-Profit
Political Leader
Recreation
Education
Health

11. Lessons Learned From The Process
• Knowledge translation should be active - include
opportunities for engaging with research evidence and
integrating the context-specific information acquired from
stakeholders.
• “Customer service” can make or break participation
• Limited funding, staff turnover and capacity gaps hinder
translation. Related barriers: staff attitudes, human
resources, language, culture and location
• Challenge of funding and attrition of research partners

12. Recommendations
• Ensure greater inclusion of marginalized voices (people with
disabilities, rural and Indigenous communities etc in future policy
dialogues
• May require incentives for participation
• Ensure sites for knowledge translation are accessible to ensure full
participation

13. Recommendations
• Align program goal and content to participants who will be receiving
them e.g. frontline worker versus policy maker versus program
manager
• Set clear and actionable outcome expectations e.g. networking
versus knowledge exchange versus policy change
• Gauge participants’ expectations in participating prior to the
dialogue

14. Future Directions
• Assess how knowledge was used at the 6 month mark
• Aggregate learnings from both the BC and Quebec dialogue
• Assess participation as it relates to location, socioeconomic factors
and behavioural factors
• Assess possibility of an ongoing knowledge translation event

15. REFERENCES
1. Bassett-Gunter, R. L., Ruscitti, R. J., Latimer-Cheung, A. E., & Fraser-Thomas, J. L. (2017). Targeted
physical activity messages for parents of children with disabilities: A qualitative investigation of
parents' informational needs and preferences. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 64, 37-46.
2. Accessibility 2024 - Province of British Columbia. (2017). www2.gov.bc.ca. Retrieved 2
November 2017, from https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/about-the-bc-
government/accessibility
3. Leveling the playing field: A natural progression from playground to podium for children with
disabilities. (2017). Senate of Canada. Retrieved 2 November 2017, from
https://sencanada.ca/content/sen/committee/411/ridr/rep/rep07jun12-e.pdf
4. Shikako-Thomas, K., Majnemer, A., Mogo, E. M., Lai, J., & Kalaba, M. (n.d.). Childhood
Disability Link. Retrieved from Promoting the participation of children with disabilities in
Leisure Activities:
https://www.childhooddisability.ca/wpcontent/uploads/2017/12/researchbrief_dec20.pdf