Kulig, Judith Celene

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The 1999 Mallard fire: Lessons learned
(The Faculty of Health Sciences - The University of Lethbridge, 2010) Kulig, Judith Celene; Kimmel, A.; Gullacher, A.; Reimer, B.; Townshend, Ivan; Edge, Dana; Lightfoot, Nancy; McKay, M.; Barnett, M.; Clague, J.; Coghlan, A.
La Ronge is located in northern Saskatchewan on the shore of Lac La Ronge. It is adjacent to the Lac La Ronge Indian band and the northern village of Air Ronge. La Ronge is the largest community in northern Saskatchewan with over 2700 people residing in the town, 2000 people on the adjacent First Nations lands of the Lac la Ronge Indian band, and approximately 1000 people residing in the bordering Métis settlement of Air Ronge. La Ronge acts as the service centre for almost all of Northern Saskatchewan. Firefighters battled the Mallard Fire that caused the evacuation of the entire community of La Ronge on May 27, 1999. The fire, which was started by lightning, stretched over a distance of 8 kilometres and it took one week, 248 firefighters, and several water bombers to extinguish it. The damage included the destruction of 8 homes in Eagle Point, 1 trailer on Riese Drive and 1 bush home. Some commer-cial buildings were also destroyed within the town boundaries; however, no injuries were reported.
Aboriginal nurses: Insights from a national study
(The Canadian Nurse, 2006) Kulig, Judith Celene; Stewart, Norma; Morgan, Debra; Andrews, Mary Ellen; MacLeod, Martha; Pitblado, Roger;
Aboriginal registered nurses have been identified as an essential group in the delivery of health services in First Nations communities. Despite this, there is a lack of information about this group of nurses in Canada. This article presents information about this group taken from two components of a national study, The Nature of Nursing Practice In Rural and Remote Canada: documentary analysis and a national survey of nurses. The Aboriginal nurse participants were predominantly female, between the ages of 40 and 49, diploma prepared and with licensure for less than 10 years. The survey data showed 41.4 per cent returned to their home communities to work. The participants noted how they enjoyed the challenges of rural and remote nursing and wanted to raise their families in these small communities. They have been able to create supportive work environments, particularly with their nursing colleagues. The nurses are committed to working in rural and remote communities.
Aboriginal Science Symposium: Enabling Aboriginal student success in post-secondary institutions
(Rural and Remote Health Online, 2010) Kulig, Judith Celene; Duke, Michelle; Solowoniuk, Jason; Weaselfat, Roy; Shade, Cam; Wojtowicz, Bernadine; Lamb, Marilyn
Context: Research in the sciences is now beginning to acknowledge what many Aboriginal educators and students have experienced or witnessed in educational curricula, a general dismissal of Indigenous knowledge as being considered scientifically ‘worthy’. This is the result of educational institutions’, and the systems within which they are placed, failure to teach from broad cultural orientations. Aboriginal persons are under-represented in post-secondary education programs, with a similar disparity in the limited number of Aboriginal persons holding careers in health, science and engineering occupations. Issues: The University of Lethbridge is attempting to increase the number of Aboriginal students who successfully complete programs in a variety of areas. To that end, the Support Program for Aboriginal Nursing Students (SPANS) commenced in Fall 2007 in order to increase the numbers of Aboriginal students who enter and complete the 4 year nursing program. At one time there were as few as 2–3 Aboriginal nursing students across the 4 years of the program. Since SPANS began there are now 34 students of Aboriginal background across all 4 years of the nursing program. This is noteworthy because statistically there are only 1200 Aboriginal Registered Nurses in Canada, a daunting statistic that is alarming low. One of the objectives of SPANS is to enhance the nursing faculty and clinical instructors’ understanding of Aboriginal science so that it can be integrated into the current curriculum. With this aim, an Aboriginal Science Symposium was held in May 2009 to bring nursing faculty together with other University faculty and experts in Aboriginal science. The symposium attempted to highlight the links between programs in nursing and health sciences and the need for integration with Aboriginal science. The 3 specific symposium objectives were to: (1) generate an understanding of traditional scientific knowledge; (2) bridge Aboriginal and Western scientific thought, toward and; (3) understand ways of implementing and raising awareness of how Aboriginal knowledge and understanding of science can be applied to help inform and improve teaching in all educational science settings. Lessons learned: From keynote addresses, panel group discussions, and breakout sessions, participant responses to the symposium objectives coalesced into 4 themes: (1) Aboriginal ways of knowing: informing Western science curricula; (2) Elders and community, enhancing science education; (3) Aboriginal student experience in the science classroom; and (4) strategies and advice to meet the needs of the Aboriginal science student.
Being a woman: Perspectives of Low German-Speaking Mennonite women
(Health Care for Women International, 2009) Kulig, Judith Celene; Babcock, Ruth C. A.; Wall, Margaret; Hill, S.
Understanding the beliefs and knowledge related to women’s sexuality is important when working with unique religious groups in order to provide culturally appropriate care. An exploratory, descriptive qualitative study generated knowledge, beliefs and practices related to menstruation, ovulation and family planning among Low German-speaking Mennonite women (n = 38). There is a pervasive silence that surrounds sexuality among this group with limited understanding of the physiological changes they experience. Honoring religious principles and family and community expectations through acceptable female behavior is essential. Adherence to religious principles varies by family but is not shared with the group to avoid disfavor.
Bullying perspectives among rural youth: A mixed methods approach
(Rural and Remote Health Online, 2008) Kulig, Judith Celene; Hall, Barry; Grant Kalischuk, Ruth
Introduction: Few studies have examined violence among rural youth even though it is recognized as a societal concern. A mixed method, descriptive study was conducted to examine violence among rural youth including their perceptions and experiences of it. This article focuses specifically on the perceptions and experiences of bullying among rural youth that were generated from the Qualitative Phase One interviews and Quantitative Phase Two responses. Method: A mixed method study was conducted in two separate phases. The information generated from the Qualitative Phase One (n = 52) was used to develop a survey instrument employed in the subsequent Quantitative Phase Two (n = 180). The youth who were involved in each phase lived in different geographic areas of a Western Canadian province. The qualitative phase generated a number of comments about the experience of being bullied or how it felt to be a bully. In the survey instrument, specific questions related to bullying were embedded within it. Demographic information was collected in both phases of the study. Research assistants were used to collect the data in each phase. The transcripts from the qualitative phase were analyzed for categories and themes. The survey instrument included demographic questions and seventy questions that included a four-point Likert scale. The data were analyzed using SPSS v14 (SPSS Inc; Chicago, IL, USA). For this article, the survey questions that focused on bullying were considered alongside the qualitative comments in order to more fully understand the perceptions and viewpoints of rural youth regarding this particular aspect of violence. Results: Conducting a mixed method study provides a more in-depth understanding of bullying among youth in the rural context. The pain and humiliation of being bullied provided a personalized understanding of the survey responses that indicated which youth are targets of bullying. For example, comments were made about being picked on because of personal characteristics such as being overweight or dressing in an unacceptable manner. In addition, bullies openly talked about the power they gained from their role. The frequency responses to the questions in the survey confirmed that bullies obtain power from their behavior and that youth who are different are bullied. The participants also noted that something needed to be done to address bullying but remarked that they would not seek professionals’ help. Discussion: The findings negate the myth that rural places are ideal places to raise children. Although the youth did not identify that they would access professionals, it is important for members of rural communities to acknowledge bullying, its impacts and how they can prevent it. Working from the social structure of rural communities is a first step in this process. Conclusion: Rural communities will benefit as a whole if bullying, an important societal concern, is addressed. Building on the social structure of rural communities is important, However, listening to rural youth themselves is the key if true change is to be implemented.
Capacity building in rural research: A Canadian perspective
(Rural and Remote Health, 2004) Kulig, Judith Celene; Minroe, Bruce; Stewart, Norma
Introduction: The need to build capacity in rural health research is recognized in Canada. During its formative stage, the Canadian Rural Health Research Society (established in 2002), performed a nation-wide survey of the research teaching and training opportunities available to students interested in rural and remote health issues. Intended as a cross-sectional ‘snapshot,’ and to provide base-line data, the survey involved a comprehensive list of educational programs in health and science disciplines at all Canadian Universities offering graduate-level programs. The present project report gives an overview of the results, documenting the current strengths, but also the noticeable gaps that exist. Methods: Data were collected via an Internet survey, developed according to Dillman’s email survey design principles. Although multiple contacts are recommended, due to time constraints only two were made. The instrument included both open- and closed-ended questions designed to determine institutional commitments to rural health research training generally, as well as specific information about course offerings, infrastructure supports for students, financial assistance for studying specific topics, and future plans. Health was defined broadly and included a number of disciplines beyond those usually considered under the health rubric. Individuals in administrative positions for 462 programs in 24 distinct disciplines at 56 institutions were sent the survey. Responses were received from 120 programs at 40 universities. Due to budget constraints the instrument was not translated into French. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data, combined with a thematic analysis of written comments. Ethical approval was obtained from the Lakehead University before the study was conducted. Results: Despite the fact that one-third of Canadians live in rural, remote and northern areas, there is a paucity of research that addresses rural health issues. Moreover, Canadian universities have very limited rural health offerings in their curricula. There are few formal courses available on rural health topics generally or rural health research specifically. Although students can take rural-related independent studies or reading courses, very few actually take advantage of the option. Of all disciplines, nursing faculty are most likely to pursue rural health research and to offer rural health courses. Moreover, nursing faculty most often indicate an intention to expand their rural health offerings. In the social sciences, geography and environmental science programs, relatively few students choose to study rural health. Similarly, in medicine, the number of students exploring rural health issues is small. There is some specific financial assistance available to students who are interested in rural health research and, as well, they have access to general pools of funding. Conclusion: The survey results demonstrate the limitations of current educational programs. However, they also indicate areas of potential growth and show widespread interest in increasing the offerings available at universities across Canada. The article concludes by giving an overview of the mandate and initiatives being taken by the new research society to augment training, and to enhance student participation. In addition, it notes the positive developments linked to a new Strategic Plan by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to enhance rural health research in Canada.
Childbearing Cambodian Refugee Women
(The Canadian Nurse, 1988) Kulig, Judith Celene
The goal of this study was to discover cultural knowledge held by Cambodian refugee women in regard to conception and fetal development and how this might relate to birth control use and prenatal care. Maternal-child issues are important due to the higher than average birth rate in this population.
Childbearing practices in Kanadier Mennonite Women
(The Canadian Nurse, 2004) Kulig, Judith Celene; Hall, Barry; Babcock, Ruth C. A.; Campbell, Robert; Wall, Margaret
Cross-cultural nursing practices call for attention to be paid to the unique beliefs and practices of the groups with which nurses come in contact. The Kanadier Mennonites are a conservative religious group who live in Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario. An exploratory, descriptive study was conducted with this group in southern Alberta to generate information about their health and illness beliefs. This article focuses on their knowledge, beliefs and practices in relation to childbearing interviews were conducted with 45 women, the majority of whom were married and had been born in Mexico. Among the sample there had been a range of one to 16 pregnancies. The participants noted that childbearing Is not a topic openly discussed with others. Women learn about childbearing from their mothers and other women but also from physicians and books. During pregnancy there are particular activities to be avoided including the use of strong cleaning fluids and hand milking of cows. Foods such as milk need to be ingested to ensure a healthy pregnancy. Prenatal care was not emphasized in Mexico nor has it become a customary practice in Canada but deliveries in hospital are the norm in both these countries. During the postpartum the women receive support from their immediate and extended family in order to recuperate. Nurses need to explore individual Kanadier Mennonite beliefs regarding childbearing and work with this group in developing acceptable health promotion programs to help ensure healthy pregnancy outcomes. The blending of nursing practice knowledge in a non-intrusive manner with a group of people with differing belief systems is a necessary and achievable goal.
Community Assessment of the Kanadier (Mexican) Mennonites: Final Report
(Regional Centre for Health Promotion and Community Studies, University of Lethbridge, 1995) Kulig, Judith Celene; University of Lethbridge. Regional Centre for Health Promotion
A needs assessment was completed with the target group, the Kanadier Mennonites. This assessment was successfully completed through a partnership between the School of Nursing, University of Lethbridge Advanced Community Nursing class, the Barons- Eureka-Warner (BEW) Health Unit (now part of the Chinook Regional Health Authority) and the Mennonite Central Committee local office, the Kanadier Concerns. Thirteen student teams conducted interviews with 22 key informants and 44 household informants. Male and female interpreters, fluent in English and Low German, were used as translators and cultural interpreters. The limitations include the inability to randomize the sample, the need to use interpreters which may have led to a loss in understanding, the misinterpretation by the student teams of some of the questions, or the in accurate completion of the demographic information sheets by some of the student teams.
The concepts of resiliency: Theoretical lessons from community research
(Health and Canadian Society, 1996) Brown, David D.; Kulig, Judith Celene
Resiliency is a concept for which both its appeal and frustration comes from the elasticity of its meaning. The idea of resiliency commonly has been found in areas of human development and psychopathology, there is now an increased interest in extending its application. Community resiliency is increasingly a central element in public health policies and programs. In what follows, we strive to identify some central theoretical issues that arise when the concept of resiliency is applied to communities. Our purpose is to work through these issues in a way that clarifies the concept by bringing together useful, though otherwise disparate, strands from the research literature.
Critical Ethnography, Cultural Safety, and International Nursing Research
(International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 2010) Harrowing, Jean N.; Mill, Judy E.; Spiers, Jude; Kulig, Judith Celene; Kipp, Walter
Critical qualitative methodology provides a strategy to examine the human experience and its relationship to power and truth. Cultural safety is a concept that has been applied to nursing education and practice and refers to interactions that acknowledge and respect the unique cultural background of patients. It recognizes power inequities between caregivers who belong to dominant cultures and patients who may belong to oppressed groups. Culture is interpreted from a critical constructivist perspective as a fluid relational process that is enacted contextually. The purpose of this paper is to examine the congruence between and among critical methodology, cultural safety, and the conduct of nursing research in low- and middle-income countries by nurses from high-income countries. It is argued that if cultural safety is important and relevant to education and practice, then it might be appropriate to address it in research endeavors.
Cultural guidelines to support mental health among the low German Mennonites : development of best practice guidelines
(University of Lethbridge, 2016) Kulig, Judith Celene; Fan, HaiYan (LingLing)
A research study focusing on the mental health beliefs and practices among Low German Mennonites. Provides assistance to health and social services providers as they care for Low German Mennonite families dealing with mental health issues. Includes recommendations for developing appropriate policies and strategies for their care.
The development of the Canadian rural health research society: Creating capacity through connections
(Rural and Remote Health Online, 2007) Macleod, Martha; Dosman, J.; Kulig, Judith Celene; Medves, Jennifer
Context: The organization of rural health research in Canada has been a recent development. Over the past 8 years, rural and remote researchers from more than 15 universities and agencies across Canada have engaged in a process of research capacity building through the development of a network, the Canadian Rural Health Research Society (CRHRS) among the scientifically and geographically diverse researchers and their community partners. The purpose of this article is to discuss the development of the CRHRS as well as the challenges and lessons learned about creating networks and building capacity among rural and remote health researchers. Issue: Key elements of network development have included identifying and developing multidisciplinary research groupings, maintaining ongoing connections among researchers, and promoting the sharing of expertise and resources for research training. The focus has been on supporting research excellence among networks of researchers in smaller centres. Activities include a national annual scientific meeting, the informal formation of several regional and national research networks in specific areas, and the development of training opportunities. Challenges have included the issues of sustaining communication, addressing a range of networking and capacity-enhancement needs, cooperating in an environment that rewards competition, obtaining resources to support a secretariat and research activities, and balancing the demands to foster research excellence with the needs to create infrastructure and advocate for adequate research funding. Lessons learned: The CRHRS has learned how to begin to support researchers with diverse interests and needs across sectors and wide geographical areas, specifically by: (1) focusing on research development through creating and supporting trusting connections among researchers; (2) building the science first, followed by infrastructure development; (3) making individual researchers the nodes in the network; (4) being inclusive by accommodating a wide variety of researchers and researcher strengths; (5) emphasizing social exchange, knowledge exchange, and mentoring in annual scientific meetings; (6) taking opportunities to develop separate projects while finding ways to link them; (7) finding a balance between advancing the science and advocating for adequate funding and appropriate peer review; (8) developing a network organizational structure that is both stable and flexible; and (9) maintaining sustained visionary leadership.
Diversity in rural communities: palliative care for the low German Mennonites
(Rural Development Institute, Brandon University, 2014) Fan, Hai Y.; Kulig, Judith Celene
Multiculturalism is an important concept in Canada although there has been limited examination of its meaning in rural settings. To expand this knowledge base, this article presents the Low German (LG) Mennonites as a case example within a context of providing palliative care to this diverse population which is one of the Anabaptist groups that practice adult baptism and focus on a literal interpretation of the Bible. Findings from a mixed methods study and a graduate thesis conducted within the framework of this study focus on three main ideas to understand the perspectives related to death and dying among this group: faith-based healthcare facilities; family, community and mutual aid; and, keeping the dying connected. Implications of these concepts to health and social service providers are included. Canada has prided itself in being a multicultural country, but there has been little indepth examination of cultural or religious diversity in rural settings. This article presents the research related to understanding death and dying among the Low German (LG) Mennonites as a case example to illustrate the complexity of providing care to a unique religious group in rural Canada. The mixed methods and qualitative research were conducted in both Canada and Mexico. The findings are presented according to the following three ideas: (1) faith-based healthcare facilities; (2) family, community and mutual aid; and, (3) keeping the dying connected. The significance of the findings for the provision of care of this group are also included.
Families and children : responses to wildfires, links to community resiliency
(University of Lethbridge, 2012) Kulig, Judith Celene; Pujadas Botey, Anna; Townshend, Ivan; Awosoga, Olu A.; Shepard, Blythe; Reimer, William; Edge, Dana; Lightfoot, Nancy
The May 2011 Slave Lake wildfires were unprecedented event in recent provincial and national history. They provide dramatic examples of the general increase in the number and intensity of wildfires specifically and natural disasters in general. It is prudent, therefore, to learn as much as we can from those who have experienced this event in order to improve our understanding and responses to such disasters.
Families and children : responses to wildfires--links to community resiliency
(University of Lethbridge, 2012) Kulig, Judith Celene; Pujadas Botey, Anna; Townshend, Ivan; Awosoga, Olu A.; Shepard, Blythe; Edge, Dana; Reimer, William; Lightfoot, Nancy
Understanding the impacts of wildfires on families and children is in its infancy. The mixed methods study reported here offers insights and perspectives that can be considered for future research on the topic. Simultaneously, continuing to examine resiliency within communities that are challenged by adversity will also enhance our understanding of topics vital to disaster planning and mitigation. In this way, we can identify services and policies that will be useful for health and human services, community development and disaster management.
Health care for the Mexican Mennonites in Canada
(The Canadian Nurse, 1998) McCaslin, C.; Kulig, Judith Celene
The basic story of Canadian Mennonites is well known: During the centuries since the founding of the Mennonite church in Holland in the 1500s, religious persecution has led to group migration throughout Europe and to North America. Mennonites who came to Canada settled mainly in southern Ontario and the western provinces, where they maintained their religious practices, language, education and agrarian lifestyle. Less well known is that, in the 1920s, when the Canadian government mandated that all schools must use the provincial school curricula, some conservative Mennonites chose to leave Canada for Mexico, where they had been promised religious and educational freedom.
Household survey results Slave lake, AB 2012 : technical report
(University of Lethbridge, 2012) Kulig, Judith Celene; Townshend, Ivan; Awosoga, Olu A.; Shepard, Blythe; Reimer, William; Edge, Dana; Lightfoot, Nancy
Results of a household survey that was conducted to assess the following variables within a larger population within the Slave Lake area postwildfire: 1. What were the evacuation experiences of the Slave Lake area residents? 2. What were the impacts of the wildfires on the families and children that experienced it? 3. What were the impacts of the wildfires on the community’s social relations?
Immunization rejection in southern Alberta: a comparison of the perspectives of mothers and health professionals
(Ingram School of Nursing, 2015) Vandenberg, Shannon Y.; Kulig, Judith Celene
Qualitative grounded theory was used to compare and contrast the understanding and decision-making process of non-immunizing mothers and health professionals’ perceptions of these mothers’ understanding and decision-making process. The sample comprised 8 mothers with purposefully unimmunized children under the age of 6 years and 12 health professionals. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and the data generated were analyzed using data immersion, memo-writing, and 3 stages of coding. The mothers and health professionals identiﬁed similar, interrelated factors inﬂuencing the mothers’ decision, categorized into 4 groups: emotions, beliefs, facts, and information. Three primary themes were evident: the health professionals emphasized the influence of religion in decision-making to a greater extent than did the mothers, the meaning of evidence appeared to differ for mothers and health professionals, and mothers revealed a mistrust of health professionals. Immunization is a public health issue; collaboration and understanding are necessary to promote positive health outcomes in children.
Levels of risk: Perspectives of the Lost Creek fire
(Australian Journal of Emergency Management, 2009) Kulig, Judith Celene; Edge, Dana; Reimer, William; Townshend, Ivan; Lightfoot, Nancy
Risk has been considered as the probability of experiencing adverse events. Understanding risk and vulnerability is essential to disaster management and recovery. Through qualitative interviews in a community that experienced a wildfire, ‘at-risk’ and ‘feeling at-risk’ themes were identified for both the individuals and community in this study. Internal and external circumstances along with varying levels of dependence influenced the reports of risk. Individual and community risk during a major wildfire is discussed in order to explain links to community resiliency. Such understandings can aid in the development of appropriate measures to reduce short- and long-term impacts from natural disasters.

Kulig, Judith Celene

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