The Canadian First Nations Diabetes Clinical Management Epidemiologic (CIRCLE) study documents the clinical management of type 2 diabetes in 19 First Nations (FN) communities. CIRCLE is Canada’s first ever national, multisite, CBPR project. This paper presents the lessons learned in developing and advancing CIRCLE community health partnerships by examining the challenges and facilitating factors associated with building collaborative relationships, culture and ethics, collaboration and partnership, and innovative avenues of data management and dissemination. This paper reveals how CIRCLE exemplifies a successful national network of CBPR partnerships and how it can serve as a model for other national community health partnerships.

Naqshbandi, M., Harris, S.B., Macaulay, A.C., Comeau, J. Piché, J. & Montour-Lazare, D. (2011). Lessons learned in using community-based participatory research to build a national diabetes collaborative in Canada. Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action, 5(4), 405-415. Full Text.