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Knowledge Mobilization (KMb): Multiple Contributions & Multi-Production Of New Knowledge

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Social Determinants of Health Explained

1 Comment Posted by KMbeing on January 31, 2013

As defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, including the influences of health systems. These circumstances are shaped by the distribution of money, power and resources at global, national and local levels. The social determinants of health are mostly responsible for health inequities – the unfair and avoidable differences in health status seen within and between countries.

Social determinants of health can be divided into 12 categories that contribute to how healthy a person may or may not be.

1) Income and Social Status:

Generally, people are healthier when they are wealthier. Individuals with lower socio-economic status experience worse health outcomes than individuals with higher socio-economic status.
Income shapes living conditions, such as adequate housing and ability to buy sufficient quality food. When people have little control over their lives and few options, their bodies are more vulnerable to disease. Income also influences psychological functioning and health-related behaviours.

2) Education and literacy:

Education is closely tied to income and socio-economic status. People with higher levels of education tend to use preventative medical services more frequently, be more physically active, and generally have better health.
Low literacy has a negative effect on all aspects of health, including overall levels of life expectancy, accidents and chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Low literacy also has a negative impact on mental health and on the ability to prevent illness.

3) Employment/Working conditions:

Employment allows people to afford basic necessities such as appropriate housing, food, and clothing—all of which are essential for good health. Employment also provides a sense of identity and purpose, social contacts and an opportunity for personal growth.
Conditions at work can have a significant effect on people’s health and emotional well-being.

4) Social environments:

Social environments include immediate physical surroundings, social relationships and cultural environments within which groups of people function and interact.
Negative social environments and experiences of discrimination and homophobia is associated with high rates of suicide attempts by lesbian, gay and bisexual youth.
Positive social environments include elements such as safety and social stability, recognition of diversity, good working relationships and cohesive communities, and help reduce or avoid many potential risks to good health.

5) Physical Environments:

Exposure to contaminants in our air, water, food and soil can cause a variety of adverse health effects, including cancer, birth defects, respiratory illness and gastrointestinal ailments.
Factors related to housing, indoor air quality and the design of communities and transportation systems can also significantly influence people’s physical and psychological well-being.

6) Personal health practices and coping skills:

Personal health practices and coping skills refer to actions that individuals can take to prevent diseases and promote self-care, cope with challenges, develop self-reliance, solve problems, and make choices that enhance personal health.
Making personal health choices about such things as smoking, alcohol consumption, high fat diets, and regular dental health care all influence personal health.

7) Healthy child development:

The effects of early childhood experiences have strong immediate and longer-lasting biological, psychological and social effects upon health.
The quality of early childhood development is largely influenced by the economic and social resources available to parents.
Children living under conditions of material and social deprivation are at higher risk of health problems.

8) Biology and genetic endowment:

In some circumstances, genetic and biological factors appears to predispose certain individuals to particular diseases or health problems.
Examples of biological and genetic determinants of health include:
age—older adults are more likely to be in poorer health than adolescents due to the effects of aging
sex—women are at risk of pregnancy and birth-related health problems
inherited conditions—examples of inherited disease include sickle-cell anemia, hemophilia and cystic fibrosis
abnormal genes—carrying certain genes increases a person’s risk for breast and ovarian cancer

9) Health services:

One of the most crucial determinants of health is access to high-quality health services.
Men and women from higher income households who are more likely to have insurance are much more likely to self-report that they have visited a dentist within the past year than people with lower incomes.
Populations who are underserved by health services include Aboriginal People, members of the LGBTTIQcommunity, refugees and other immigrants, ethnically or racially diverse populations, people with disabilities, the homeless, sex trade workers and people with low incomes.

10) Gender:

Gender-based differences—in access to or control over resources, in power or decision making, and in roles and responsibilities—have implications for a person’s health status.
Research shows that women live longer than men, on average. Women have higher death rates, but men are more prone to accidents and also more likely to be perpetrators and victims of assault, reducing their overall life expectancy.

11) Culture:

Some individuals or groups may face additional health risks as a result of a socio-economic environment that is largely determined by dominant cultural values. These dominant values can contribute to conditions such as marginalization, stigmatization, the loss or devaluation of language and culture, and a lack of culturally appropriate health care and services.
Members of racialized groups, recent immigrants and Aboriginal People are often among the most marginalized groups in society.

12) Social support networks:

Evidence shows that support from families, friends and communities is a big contributor to better health.
The caring and respect that occurs in social relationships, and the resulting sense of satisfaction and well-being, seem to act as a buffer against health problems.
Racism is a prominent form of social exclusion. The experience of racial discrimination puts racialized groups at higher risk for physical and mental health concerns.

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Knowledge From All Walks Of Life

Leave a Comment Posted by KMbeing on January 22, 2013

In order to create social benefit, that can lead to influencing government policymakers, knowledge exchange through knowledge mobilization develops relationships among a variety of individuals – from all walks of life – to encourage involvement in new ways of combining our diversity of knowledge to make the world a better place.

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A Knowledge New Year

Leave a Comment Posted by KMbeing on January 1, 2013

As we begin the New Year 2013, we continue to share knowledge through knowledge mobilization by embracing new social networks like Pinterest – while keeping up with the fast pace of others like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Sharing and mobilizing knowledge on such platforms makes our local to global communication and collaboration easier and more effective – and has delivered some very tangible national & international knowledge-networking results.

When it comes to today’s fast-paced world of knowledge sharing, there’s no better place for social collaboration than online. These social networks may have made it easier to expand our knowledge networks, but our society has changed from being a more personal, face-to-face world of localized collaborative knowledge sharing activity to a more impersonal and isolated world confined by our digital domains. We went from verbally discussing and sharing knowledge in our in-person environments, around the water-cooler, in meetings, retreats or at conferences to sharing knowledge in a much wider but secluded, online manner of pic-pins, tweets and blogs –away from the very people who we use to bounce ideas off of and exchange knowledge with face-to-face.

When social media advanced to make it possible and easier to automate and broaden our knowledge sharing, it provided valuable knowledge sharing tools – but there is a risk of returning back to the very reasons why online knowledge mobilization/transfer & exchange activities became important in the first place. In the past, we were often locked in the knowledge-silos of our professional disciplines and institutions where face-to-face knowledge sharing was more closed. There is now a risk that we can become locked behind digital knowledge-silos without face-to-face meetings – even though our knowledge sharing has become more multi-directional and networked.

Thankfully, in the past few years, in-person and online “networks connected to other networks” – such as EENet - and Communities of Practice (CoPs) connected with other CoPs – such as The Canadian Knowledge Transfer & Exchange CoP (formerly the Ontario Knowledge Transfer & Exchange CoP) have been created to broaden knowledge sharing and engagement. Such knowledge sharing organizations still keep alive – even expanding -opportunities for face-to-face knowledge interactions and collaboration with a variety of stakeholders – while also making use of the value of connecting knowledge online through social media.

Sadly, in the early race to create an online presence of knowledge links in the digital world, many organizations, institutions and individuals forgot about the value of face-to-face social interactions over social media interactions. The old discipline/institutional knowledge silos were soon replaced with new digital knowledge network silos.

Fortunately, the pendulum has swung back (although some individuals and agencies have yet to even begin to get on the social media page!), and more people recognize the value of both connecting by social media combined with connecting face-to-face to create even broader in-person and inclusive opportunities of knowledge sharing for multiple stakeholders .

In 2012, “social” media was all about collaboration and mobility of knowledge sharing. Now, by creating both physical and virtual knowledge sharing networks like EENet and communities like The Canadian KTE Cop in-house and remote knowledge sharing have been brought together.

Humans are social beings who enjoy sharing knowledge, and human behaviour will always trump any technology. Regardless of how sophisticated or user-friendly the technology may be, humans will always need to connect with others in-person. But, we must continue to recognize that we live in a world of diversity and extremes. On any social media platform, there are extreme users, non-users and those that fall in-between – And, there will always be some who feel more comfortable sharing knowledge in-person while others feel more comfortable sharing knowledge online. It makes sense that overly-focusing on one over the other creates missed opportunities. Combining and expanding both in-person and online connections will enhance the knowledge sharing experiences and increase engagement.

As we begin the New Year 2013, I’d like to wish all of my online and in-person knowledge connections a very happy, healthy and social year of online and in-person knowledge mobilization (KMb)!

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Knowledge Mobilization Post With The Most 2012

Leave a Comment Posted by KMbeing on December 30, 2012

Below you will find a repost of KMbeing’s most viewed post for the year 2012. My KMbeing blog about Knowledge Mobilization (KMb) takes a more philosophical and holistic approach to knowledge sharing in order to create social benefit through KMb and knowledge exchange to make the world a better place. It seems to continue to gain more popularity with this inclusive and humanist approach, and I am very humbled and grateful to my many KMbeing blog followers who find value and inspiration in my shorter and longer posts – while also sharing knowledge for social benefit. I am also humbled and thankful for being voted for the second year in a row as one of the top ten in the Knowledge Mobilizer 100 people influencing our thinking about knowledge mobilization practice.

KMb is about sharing our knowledge and putting it into active service to help make the world a better place. So, it’s no surprise that this year’s post with the most for 2012 was a reflective question asking how we can help others to value their knowledge. I applaud all who recognize the connection between the value of our sharing knowledge with and from everyone for social benefit – and in so doing – making the world a better place to live.

Thanks again to all my followers who have made this year and the KMbeing blog so successful! I look forward to continuing to mobilize knowledge with you all in 2013!

Knowledge Mobilization Post With The Most 2012:

Helping Others To Value Their Knowledge

In what ways can you make the people you know and meet feel like their knowledge is valuable to make the world a better place?

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A Holiday Knowledge Mobilization (KMb) Hope

Leave a Comment Posted by KMbeing on December 19, 2012

As the holiday season approaches and a New Year of hope is set to begin, I wish to thank the many followers of my KMbeing Knowledge Mobilization (KMb) blog from around the world from over 110 countries for your ongoing support, valued comments and constant encouragement – and wordpress.com for the amazing platform in which to share knowledge!

Knowledge is often symbolized by a tree. I felt the holiday card above is particularly appropriate as an expression of connected knowledge sharing from everyone around the world.

As many of you know, I have always taken a more holistic approach to KMb – seeing the idea of sharing knowledge for social benefit to create a better world as a possibility for everyone. Everyone has knowledge to share to make the world a better place – regardless of “intelligence” level, race, color, creed, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, religion or political affiliation. Combining all our knowledge beyond borders to create a truly collective human knowledge to make the world a better place is the answer – and the greatest hope for the future of humanity.

In the spirit of the season, I have put together a few borrowed words from some of the more popular and traditional Christmas songs that you may recognize – and though they are Christian in origin, they are meant to transcend all religious and political differences with the hope of someday using all of our collective personal knowledge for a better tomorrow! For Peace On Earth Will Not come Through Religion Or Politics – But From Shared Connected Human Knowledge to make every life on this planet a valued and appreciated life!

I wish you all best wishes for health & happiness at this time and peace into the New Year and beyond!

Away in our world, no home or a bed,

A hungry child lays down a sweet head.

No food is roasting on an open fire

As disease is nipping at someone’s toes

There’s no place to deck the halls with boughs of holly

No reason to be jolly

Do you see what I see?

As a star above is dancing in the night

Do you hear what I hear?

As a song is sung high above the trees

Do you know what I know?

The need for peace, people everywhere!

And by the light of that same star

Where all are wise that come from afar?

Now let us all with one accord

See that we can no longer afford

Two thousand years of wrong

With worlds at war for so long

Joy to the world! Is what we need

Let all people everywhere – their knowledge share

Repeat this sounding joy!

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!

That leads to a silent night

When all is calm and all is bright

When we all can sleep in peace

On earth

Joy to the world! Is what we need

Let all people everywhere – their knowledge share

To overcome our problems faced

And make the world a better place

Repeat this sounding joy!

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Sharing Knowledge With The People You Don’t Know

Leave a Comment Posted by KMbeing on December 17, 2012

Making the world a better place and creating new knowledge doesn’t come from sharing knowledge with the people you know. It comes from sharing knowledge with the people you don’t know.

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The Ever-Changing Knowledge Of Our Collective Humanity

Leave a Comment Posted by KMbeing on October 31, 2012

Why do we believe in the idea that knowledge is something that we attain and once we attain it – it never changes? It’s this view that limits our collective human understanding when we believe that knowledge is somehow “set in stone”. It’s more like footprints on a beach.

Yes, as human beings, we can be creatures of habit, we can be territorial and we can be very guarded about our belief systems – even to the point of war. We fear change and things that are different from our own personal viewpoints. As human beings we want “security” and “stability” in our comfort zones, but ironically are willing to fight each other about our knowledge differences to “win” even more territory on the shifting sands of “security” and “stability”. But we never win fighting for this type of “knowledge”. The waves of change always occur.

We think our own knowledge and the collective knowledge of our own groups, cultures, nations, lifestyles, and religions are the only knowledge to be attained – and once we have this “true” knowledge – it never needs to change. Everyone else can have their own “false” knowledge – but our knowledge is actually the “true” knowledge. But this way of thinking is really only caused by a desire for things to stay the same and seek “security” and “stability” in our own desires to expand our own comfort zones – like footprints in the sand.

This is a false sense of understanding knowledge and a false sense of understanding the evolution of our humanity on this planet. With this type of stagnant thinking we will always be held back from our collective human potential. Everyday, the world is filled with change, and there will always be differences from our own personal viewpoints. This has always been a part of our human history.

Human advancement and understanding have always occurred in our human history when we’ve decided to step beyond our own comfort zones of “security” and “stability” – especially in our understandings of knowledge. When we are open to the knowledge of others and share our own knowledge with human cooperation and not fear, only then will it lead us to greater worldwide security and stability. We will then have attained the knowledge of human understanding. But this knowledge does not stop there.

The process of knowledge is an on-going flow, not containment. Knowledge Mobilization (KMb) is the overall flow and ongoing and constant input and development and creation of new knowledge. It is the open process of putting available knowledge into active service to benefit not just one particular group, culture, nation, corporation, organization or religion – but for the greater benefit of all in society.

No experience is ever exactly the same as any other – just as no person is exactly the same as any other. As each moment is different – so is each knowledge moment. Trying to “attain” knowledge as something unchangeable will lead you on a limiting search. But if you pursue knowledge with an open-mind and expectation of the ongoing process and flow of knowledge you might very well find greater happiness in your life – and a deeper understanding of our ever-changing humanity.

Do we need to be considered “super intelligent” to have knowledge? Do we have to have an academic degree to have knowledge? Do we have to be wealthy to have knowledge? No, we just have it. Each second, each minute of our lives creates individual knowledge – from personal experiences – waiting to be shared with others – and received from others. Wherever we are, any time, we have the capacity to share our individual knowledge, our life experiences; even the parts we think aren’t “worthy”. We all have opportunities to teach and learn from others – which contribute to making this world a better place.

If we spend all of our energy trying to “attain” unchangeable knowledge we miss out on the daily flow and process of knowledge. It’s like trying to hold back the waves from washing away the footprints on a beach. When we are open to learning and sharing knowledge with others we have the opportunity to let the diversity of knowledge come into our lives and transform our own knowledge and the ever-changing knowledge of our collective humanity.

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The Growing Social Culture Of Knowledge Sharing & Understanding

Leave a Comment Posted by KMbeing on October 15, 2012

The growing social culture of knowledge sharing can make the world a better place if we recognize that valuable knowledge can be found in all knowledge connections (regardless of borders, boundaries or beliefs) – if this knowledge contributes to social benefit. By listening to each other with an open-mind and sharing knowledge with a sincere intention for good, we can change the world into a social culture of understanding. It’s by continuing to expand this social culture of knowledge sharing that we can find global understanding.

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Everyone Has A Knowledge Voice

Leave a Comment Posted by KMbeing on October 6, 2012

A lack of knowledge will never disappear so long as a lack of sharing knowledge to make the world a better place continues. New knowledge for social benefit is created just as soon as we share knowledge and are open to the knowledge of others for the benefit of everyone.

What new knowledge have you given birth to in your life? What good has sharing knowledge or being open to the knowledge of others brought you in your life? How much social benefit has come from a lack of sharing knowledge or not being open to the knowledge of others in life? Social benefit occurs whenever we share knowledge for good rather than harm with anyone – no matter what walk of life.

I’ve known many people who think they don’t have the “right type” of knowledge or aren’t “smart enough” to contribute to making the world a better place. I’ve even thought it about myself at one point earlier in my life because of the way in which I was raised as a child. My parents frequently called me “stupid” and that little voice sounded in my head for years into early adulthood until I was finally able to find my own voice and believe in my own knowledge value.

Never has this type of thinking about a “lack of knowledge” made anyone feel better about oneself, about life, or about any situation. We all have knowledge to share if we only recognize the value of our own knowledge – no matter how “limited” we think it is. The most important thing is sharing this knowledge for social benefit. As long as we hold on to the attitude that our own knowledge is worthless and cannot possibly make the world a better place, new knowledge to make the world a better place for everyone will never be created. Knowledge when shared creates new knowledge – which can lead to social benefit.

We can all learn something from each and every person on this earth – we just need to be open-minded. The problem is that we continue to dismiss the knowledge of some people without really trying to listen to what this knowledge might teach us about our own knowledge or the knowledge of others – and we miss the opportunities to combine this knowledge to create new knowledge for something better than the “lack of knowledge” each of us may have. A “lack of knowledge” will continue to grow and fester, and will continue to become a destructive force on this earth unless we share knowledge to increase and create new knowledge to make the world a better place.

How can we increase knowledge sharing? Empathy and compassion for others helps – trying to value the knowledge of others and what they have to share with us, no matter how limited, can help us create new knowledge and see the value of knowledge sharing in a new way. Give each person’s knowledge a chance – even if they have been called “stupid” and no one has ever taught them to value their own knowledge. It’s possible they don’t even realize that the act of sharing the knowledge they do have can lead to social benefit.

This is what Knowledge Mobilization (KMb) is all about – learning from all sources of knowledge and experiences (no matter how limited or varied) to create positive change and social benefit. KMb gives everyone a voice. From these voices, policy makers or government leaders can be provided with greater knowledge to make decisions for change and social improvements – creating new knowledge to make the world a better place.

Are we going to continue to think that certain individuals have a “lack of knowledge” that leads to harboring thoughts of self-stupidity or are we going to lessen this “lack of knowledge” by giving everyone a knowledge voice by sharing knowledge? Which path would be most beneficial to make the world a better place for everyone?

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Knowledge Mobilization & Diversity

Leave a Comment Posted by KMbeing on October 2, 2012

Knowledge Mobilization (KMb) is about building relationships with a wide range of individuals. KMb is about facilitating cooperation across these relationships and across institutions by the practice of sharing knowledge and creating new knowledge to improve social benefit for diverse communities – ultimately, to make the world a better place.

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