Realist Research

Realist Research at its core attempts to look at an intervention and ask the questions: what works, for whom, in what circumstances, in what respects and how. In the context of healthcare, it helps us recognize that there is no “one-size fits all” solution.

Why Realist Research?

It was when I became interested in gaining a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the ways Indigenous cancer patients make informed decisions about their care and how they interface with the healthcare system that I came across Realist Methodology. To me, realist methodology seemed the most appropriate way to explore not only what influences the decision-making process of Indigenous patients, but how to create patient supports that are both culturally safe and culturally appropriate in nature.

I have used realist methodology to produce a framework for Shared Decision Making (SDM) in general, as well as a refined model for the Saskatchewan Indigenous context, which was published with the BMC journal Systematic Reviews.

My sponsored research has allowed me the opportunity to pursue research that furthers health equity among Indigenous populations, meeting the Indigenous priority of the University, College of Medicine and has positioned the University of Saskatchewan as a global research hub for Indigenous Realist Research.

Realist research in Health and social systems: bridging Theory and and practice

We are excited to invite you to Saskatoon for knowledge-driven workshops and presentations exploring the intersection of theory and practice in realist research - an approach to synthesis and evaluation that considers the differences in circumstances and users.

Ideal for students, researchers, practitioners, policy makers and Patient Partners, this collaborative event will feature local, national and international speakers with expertise in realist research.

Watch for more information coming soon!

Realist Collaborations

I have been fortunate enough to have developed research collaborations with two international leaders in Realist Research: Dr. Gill Westhorp of Darwin University in Australia and France Légaré of Laval University, and

In 2017, I was invited to Charles Darwin University along with my research team which included Indigenous community partners, to collaborate on future international Indigenous research projects between the CDU and the U of S. While in Darwin, we also gave a public presentation to members on CDU on our current Indigenous Research Projects which are focusing on increasing trust and aligning Indigenous world view within the medical consultation process.

As a program expert of the University of Laval’s Dr. France Legare’s research team, our project  "SUCCEED/SUCCÈS: Scaling-Up shared decision making for patient-Centred Health and social care" was awarded at IRSC/CIHR Foundation grant amounting to roughly $3.5 million.