Wolastoqiyik adaptation of the Aaniish Naa Gegii: the Children’s Health and Well-Being Measure

Introduction: Indigenous children in Canada represent one of the fastest-growing pediatric populations and experience severe health inequities. There is an ongoing need for new research on relevant methods to measure the health and well-being of Indigenous children that considers the cultural differences between communities. The Aaniish Naa Gegii: the Children’s Health and Well-Being Measure (ACHWM) is a self-reported questionnaire that was developed to meet this need and to include the voices of Indigenous children. The purpose of this study was to assess the cultural relevance of the ACHWM for Wolastoqiyik children and to determine what revisions may be needed to ensure that the questions are well-understood and culturally appropriate.
Methods: We recruited a community-based sample of 9 Wolastoqiyik children (ages 8 to 16), two caregivers, and a community Elder within the Madawaska Maliseet First Nation community in New Brunswick. Through a process of cognitive debriefing, we probed children’s comprehension of the 62 questions of the First Nation French version of the ACHWM. We analyzed the information reported to determine the participants’ understandings relative to the other participants and to the original intent of the ACHWM content.
Results: Each of the 9 children identified at least one item they recommended for revision during the interview. We observed similarities in the suggestions offered by several respondents. A total of 22 questions were considered, and 14 questions (22.6%) were modified, taking into consideration all participants’ suggestions.
Conclusion: The findings show that the community maintains a unique cultural identity distinct from other francophone First Nation communities. Overall, this study emphasizes the importance of adapting health and well-being assessment tools to align with the specific cultural contexts of different communities, ensuring accurate data for effective interventions. Therefore, implementing cultural adaptations becomes essential to effectively address health disparities among Indigenous children.
Keywords: First Nations, children, minorities, health disparities, holistic health, cultural integration, health and well-being