As defined by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), knowledge translation (KT) is a dynamic and iterative process that includes synthesis, dissemination, exchange, and ethically sound application of knowledge to improve the health of Canadians, provide more effective health services and products and strengthen the health care system (Andrews et al., 2015). It is about raising the knowledge users’ awareness of research findings and facilitating the use of those findings (Andrews et al., 2015). The knowledge translation initiative conducted by MacEntee et al. (2022) is a recent project conducted, which presented the Quilted Cellphilm Method create celphilms that focus on harm reduction and transactional sex. Cellphilms are defined as modes of inquiry that can engage participants and communities, eliciting evidence about their own health and well-being. At the same time, they are also modes of representation and modes of production in the co-creation of knowledge, as well as modes of dissemination in relation to knowledge translation and mobilization (Mitchell & Sommer, 2016, as cited by MacEntee et al., 2022). In this case study, named the Celling Sex project, cellphilming was utilized to engage young women who trade sex for money and commodities (MacEntee et al., 2022). A critique of the Quilted Cellphilm Method will be conducted utilizing the factors identified by the CIHR that should be considered when developing a research project with an iKT approach. The research question, research approach, feasibility, and outcomes will be reviewed in this critique (Andrews et al., 2015).
Research Question
The Celling Sex project was conducted in 2017-2019 and was interested in learning from young women who trade sex in Toronto, Canada. Transactional sex is defined in this case study as the consenting exchange of intimacy for money or commodities (MacEntee et al., 2022). The motivation for the Celling Sex project was to explore how young women who trade sex perceived their trading experiences and the possibilities for harm reduction (Kendrick et al., 2021, as cited by MacEntee et al., 2022). The Quilted Cellphilm Method was utilized to engage knowledge users and attended to the marginalization and stigmatization that young people who trade sex experience (MacEntee et al., 2022).
Research Approach
The research team consisted of individuals with lived experience of trading sex, and those with expertise in youth-centred, participatory, visual, and community-based health research from York University and Wilfrid Laurier University (MacEntee et al., 2022). Most of the meetings were conducted in-person, on-line, or by virtual exchange (MacEntee et al., 2022). Several meetings were organized to build rapport between the participants and researchers, outline each of the cellphilms that would be created, as well as reviewing the videos with all participants. The target audience of the cellphilms were discussed with the participants to ensure they were able to demonstrate key messages to the audience. At each phase in the process of creating the cellphilms, the participants were given the opportunity to consent to partaking in the research project, while also empowering them to take ownership and control of the cellphilm content they were creating and how much they were willing to share. Participants’reflections were also collected once the cellphilms were created, which was an opportunity for them to discuss and identify the how the work they were doing would contribute to the research that would be conducted.
Feasibility
Given the use of cell phones to partake in online dating experiences, post selfies on social media accounts, and utilize their cellphones to interact with others to develop transactional relationships, the research group was confident that the knowledge users has a basic media literacy and would be able to utilize their cellphones to represent themselves when creating the cellphilms (MacEntee et al., 2022).
Outcomes
The research team aimed to share the compilation of cellphilms with over 20 target audiences across the greater Toronto area, including youth in shelter system, healthcare providers, young mothers, sex work activists, youth living with HIV and AIDs, social work students, and the general public. The screenings were co-facilitated by the research team and knowledge-user partners. As identified in the case study, the viewers shared that the screenings helped them reflect more deeply about transactional sex and (re)committed to thinking about they could challenge stigma more explicitly and better support young women who trade (MacEntee et al., 2022).
Overall, this is a well conducted KT project as it met all of CIHR’s review criteria, as well as shared the overall message and aim to break the barriers associated with transactional sex trading.
References
Andrews, D., Fong, G., Hackam, D., Li, L., Lynam, M., Mathews, M., ... & Strauss, S. (2015). Guide to knowledge translation planning at CIHR: Integrated and end–of–grant approaches. Canada: The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). https://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/documents/kt_lm_ktplan-en.pdf
Cochrane Community. (n.d.). Knowledge translation. Knowledge Translation. https://community.cochrane.org/review-development/knowledge-translation
MacEntee, K., Kendrick, C., & Flicker, S. (2021). Quilted CELLPHILM method: A participatory visual health research method for working with marginalised and stigmatised communities. Global Public Health, 17(7), 1420–1432. https://doi.org/10.1080/17441692.2021.1928262
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