Chronic pain affects approximately 16% to 36% of Canadian adults and is one of the most common reasons for physician visits in Canada. The effects of a self-referral community-based education/exercise program (Y-PEP) on physical function and well-being were initially evaluated in 20 individuals with chronic pain who had attended one of three Y-PEP sessions in 2007. The 10-week program incorporated chronic pain education/self-management and various exercise modalities to allow individuals with chronic pain to try different physical activities in a safe and supported environment. Questionnaires were administered pre-, post-program, and at 10-weeks follow-up and provided data on demographic information, physical activity levels, depression, pain perception, and pain catastrophizing. Maximal activity levels and adjusted activity levels increased 7% and 10% respectively at post-program, but only the adjusted activity levels remained elevated at the 10-week follow-up. No significant changes occurred in any of the other outcome measures, however, the extent to which maximal and daily activity increased was significantly correlated with greater improvements in the extent to which pain interfered with one’s life (r=0.45) and with pain catastrophizing (r=0.45). These latter two improvements were significantly associated with greater decreases in depression score (r=0.50). Overall, these findings suggest that a community-based program for individuals with chronic pain can improve physical function and psycho-social well-being. Further effort is required to establish such programs in communities for individuals with chronic pain. / Thesis (Master, Rehabilitation Science) -- Queen's University, 2009-09-14 13:01:08.784

Given the high prevalence of physical inactivity, effective strategies are urgently needed to increase physical activity levels among youth, especially those most at risk for inactivity including adolescent girls, older adolescents, and youth from low socioeconomic status households. A clear understanding of the factors associated with physical activity among youth is needed to design effective interventions. Physical activity is a complex behaviour that is influenced by intrapersonal, interpersonal, and environmental factors. Most recently, emphasis has been placed on the environmental correlates of youth physical activity. One consistent finding is that access to recreation facilities and opportunities to be active are positively associated with youths’ physical activity participation. Environmental interventions, which are often community-based, hold particular promise of instilling population-wide change. Yet, to date, little information is available about the effectiveness of environmental interventions to enhance youth physical activity in community settings. The manuscript presented in Chapter 3 of this thesis addresses these gaps in knowledge by providing evidence about a community-based initiative designed to increase access to recreation facilities by eliminating facility user-fees for youth. More specifically, recreation facility use among adolescents (n=1261; Mage = 14.97 ± 0.39; 46.3% girls) was objectively measured and the factors associated with the use of recreation facilities were examined. A total of 200 students accessed at least one facility. Results revealed that the likelihood of the best multilevel model examining pass use was 13 times larger than a model that included only individual-level predictors (p< 0.01). Pass users were more likely to: attend schools that were only a short distance away from facilities (OR=0.90 p< 0.01), be active (OR=1.69, p< 0.05), rate their health as fair (OR=2.32, p< 0.05), report homework as a barrier (OR=1.84, p< 0.01) and to have used facilities previously (OR=2.01, p< 0.05). Overall, results suggest that providing free access may be insufficient to enable adolescents to use recreation facilities. Furthermore, an ecological model should be used when designing interventions that aim to increase adolescents’ use of facilities. The implications of this study for research and practice will be outlined. Although further research is greatly needed to enhance our understanding of youths’ behaviours in order to develop effective interventions, the challenges associated with conducting research involving youth can deter researchers from investigating this population. In particular, several researchers have highlighted the methodological and ethical concerns of school-based research. These issues and their implications will be discussed in Chapter 4 of this thesis. Lastly, recommendations to help reduce the challenges of school-based research will be presented. / Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2010-09-24 22:15:55.972

Growing development pressure in Ontario’s Far North has prompted northern First Nation communities, who have recognized these potential outcomes, to initiate community-based land-use planning. In 2009 the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) announced Bill 191, An Act with Respect to Land-Use Planning and Protection in the Far North, to guide the planning process and promote a balance between conservation and development. The way the legislation develops and advances will be a determining factor in the degree of benefit to local communities. This manuscript thesis explores the issues related to land-use planning in Ontario’s Far North, specifically the James Bay lowland region, through two articles. Information collected through participant observation, an extensive multi-disciplinary literature review, interviews with key policy actors and review of transcripts from Standing Committee hearings was combined to inform the development of both articles. The first article explores the landscape to highlight the abiotic, biotic and cultural features of the region. This article provides a scoping exercise to begin to describe features that should contribute to the creation of the community-based land-use plans. The second article critically examines the development of Bill 191 to guide land-use planning through policy, organizational and operational institutional levels from a First Nations perspective. Themes of power, social justice and participation in the planning process are central to the consideration of the emerging planning process. This review reveals a process that, instead of initiating a new relationship between the government of Ontario and First Nations, has contributed to increasingly acrimonious relations between the two. / Thesis (Master, Environmental Studies) -- Queen's University, 2010-10-25 12:37:47.676

This master’s thesis examines the extent to which collaborative planning and sustainable development theories and practices exist in First Nations’ Community-Based Land Use Plans in Canada. Collaborative planning has been developed from a westernized worldview. Despite its best intentions, collaborative planning has not always incorporated a First Nations’ perspective into its approach, which continues to reinforce a dichotomy between First Nations’ governments and Canadian federal and provincial governments (Porter, 2006). The dichotomy potentially exists due to the lack of grounds for successful collaborative planning between the various types of government bodies. It is important to examine, collaborative planning, and sustainable development in First Nations’ Community-Based Land Use Plans for theoretical/conceptual, practical, and ethical applications to Canadian planning. This thesis’ research was conducted using the following methodological processes: A literature review, thematic review and content analysis. The thematic review was of 14 First Nations’ Community-Based Land Use Plans throughout Canada. The thematic review resulted in a similarities, differences, and gap analysis. The content analysis was of three of the original 14 First Nations’ Community-Based Land Use Plans and used William C. Baer’s General Plan Evaluation Criteria (1997) adapted with collaborative planning and sustainable development elements to evaluate the three selected plans. The results from this research produced theoretical/conceptual, practical, and ethical contributions to the planning profession. / Thesis (Master, Urban & Regional Planning) -- Queen's University, 2012-09-10 19:05:31.748

Portuguese-Canadians have historically faced disadvantages in the Canadian education system (Coelho, 1973, 1977; Fonseca, 2010; Morgado, 2009; Noivo, 1997; Nunes, 1999; Ornstein, 2000, 2006; Santos, 2006). While there have been studies conducted into this phenomenon, these disadvantages remain relatively unexplored by the research community and unknown to mainstream society. Furthermore, many of those studies have focused primarily on the various manifestations of the problem of educational disadvantage and have not explored the specific programs or practices adopted by the community to address these issues. Community based educational organizations have been shown to assist in the cultural adjustment process of immigrant youth. These organizations provide youth with the necessary cultural capital to allow them to construct high academic and vocational aspirations, and to cope with the various discouraging experiences they may have in schools (Bielenberg, n.d; James, 2005; James & Haig-Brown, 2001; Zhou, 2005). The purpose of this study was to describe a community-based tutoring and mentoring program and to examine the stakeholders' perceptions of the program's impact on the Portuguese-Canadian students whom it serves, to respond to the educational disadvantages this group faces. This program was established by members of the Portuguese-Canadian community in Toronto as a reaction to data outlining this group's educational disadvantages. Document and transcript analysis provided a rich description of the program and revealed how the program impacted the students whom it served. Specifically, this program supports its students during transitions, helps to address negative schooling experiences, and fosters their acquisition of English. This ultimately results in improvements in these students' academics, social skills, and self-esteem and is having an overall positively impact on their attitudes and perceptions of education. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2012-09-19 18:09:53.088

No description available.

This thesis investigates small-scale community-based shrimp aquaculture (CBSA) in northwestern Sri Lanka. The objectives are to explore: (1) community-based shrimp aquaculture; (2) commons institutions and application of commons rules; and (3) policy implications (i.e., as an alternative to large-scale operations in ensuring sustainability). Data were gathered from three communities in northwestern Sri Lanka, through participant observations; semi-structured interviews; focus group discussions; and key informant interviews. Presence of small-scale community-based institutions is evident. Arguably, commons in this context are social-ecological systems, including the interconnected natural water body. Main characteristics of the existing resource governance system are multi-level commons institutional structure; zonal crop calendar system; collaborative/participatory management approach; and better management practices. A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis proves the viability of existing CBSA. This thesis recognizes CBSA as an alternative approach to large-scale aquaculture operations to ensure sustainability in the long run.

A qualitative exploratory study informed by a community-based research model was conducted, involving the non-governmental organization Karnataka Health Promotion Trust, and community-based organization Chaitanya Mahila Sangha led by women in sex work, in India at each stage of the study. In-depth interviews were conducted by community research investigators among a purposive sample of 21 female sex workers and male intimate partners in Bagalkot district, Karnataka, India to explore how they describe their experience and understandings of intimate partner violence (IPV). The results show the social significance of intimate relationships as well as the interplay of multi-leveled issues underlying the vulnerability to intimate partner violence among sex-workers. The findings support the need for structural interventions working not only on the individual and relationship levels to address relevant triggers of violence, but also the community and societal levels, with the integral involvement of community partners, to more effectively address vulnerability to IPV.

This thesis investigates small-scale community-based shrimp aquaculture (CBSA) in northwestern Sri Lanka. The objectives are to explore: (1) community-based shrimp aquaculture; (2) commons institutions and application of commons rules; and (3) policy implications (i.e., as an alternative to large-scale operations in ensuring sustainability). Data were gathered from three communities in northwestern Sri Lanka, through participant observations; semi-structured interviews; focus group discussions; and key informant interviews. Presence of small-scale community-based institutions is evident. Arguably, commons in this context are social-ecological systems, including the interconnected natural water body. Main characteristics of the existing resource governance system are multi-level commons institutional structure; zonal crop calendar system; collaborative/participatory management approach; and better management practices. A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis proves the viability of existing CBSA. This thesis recognizes CBSA as an alternative approach to large-scale aquaculture operations to ensure sustainability in the long run.

Background: Promoting mental health for Indigenous youth in Canada is a well-documented priority. Indigenous approaches to health promotion share similarities with the holistic process in outdoor adventure and experiential education contexts. The purpose of this study was to develop, implement, and evaluate an Outdoor Adventure Leadership Experience (OALE) for Indigenous adolescents from one First Nations community in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. Methods: Principles of community-based participatory research were used to guide this mixed method study that included three phases. Phase 1 involved the development of a culturally relevant OALE intervention. The intervention was available to adolescents, aged 12-18 years, living in Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Reserve. Phase 2 consisted of a quantitative evaluation of the effectiveness of the OALE, based on participant self-report. It focused primarily on assessing resilience using the 14-Item Resilience Scale (RS-14). Using an ethnographic approach, Phase 3 comprised a qualitative evaluation of the ways in which the OALE promoted resilience and well-being. Results: Phase 1 occurred over a period of 10 months (September 2008 to June 2009), and it resulted in the development of an intentionally designed 10-day OALE program. The program was implemented in the summer of 2009 and 2010 with 73 adolescent participants, aged 12-18 years. Results from Phase 2 revealed that there was a 3.40 point increase in mean resilience for the adolescent participants at one month post-OALE compared to one day pre-OALE (n=46, p=.011), but the improvement was not sustained one year later. Phase 3 results revealed that the OALE facilitated the development of resilience and well-being by helping the adolescents connect to Anishinaabe Bimaadziwin, an Ojibway concept that can be translated as the Good iv Life. Connecting involved an external experiential process of connecting with various aspects of creation and an internal reflective process of connecting within to different aspects of self. Conclusion: The OALE appears to be a program that helped the adolescents: (1) become more resilient in the short-term, and (2) become more aware of Anishinaabe Bimaadziwin (the Good Life) by providing opportunities for connecting with creation and self through a variety of experiences and reflections that were unique for each youth.