Ikhlaq Jacob
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ikhlaqjacob.bsky.social
Ikhlaq Jacob
@ikhlaqjacob.bsky.social
All views are my own.
Please reference my work if you use it.
“One reason for the poverty of ethnographic research in this area might simply be the difficulties of access”.
November 8, 2025 at 1:44 AM
All the visits I made to towns and cities over decades, people never asked whether I authored a paper or even a book (and rightly so).

They were interested in me as a individual, this was the start of the trust and genuine rapport building.
November 7, 2025 at 10:26 AM
I spoke to over 800 local people, groups and diverse communities: the ‘hard to reach’ for the INCLUDE Study in Bradford and Leeds during the summers of 2024/25. Thank you everyone.
@auasresearch.bsky.social
October 28, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Thank you to the Khidmet Centre, and to the many attendees that I spoke to over the summer also a HUGE THANKS to the Ladies Group. Reaching out to the ‘hard to reach’.
October 27, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Thank you to the Bangladeshi Centre!
October 27, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Thank you to Sharon from the Reginald Centre for giving me an invaluable insight into the rich culture of the local community in Chapeltown and Harehills.
October 27, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Gatekeepers are an invaluable source of help I have engaged with them in Bradford, Birmingham, Keighley, Leeds, Leicester, London, Manchester, Sheffield, Slough and elsewhere for decades.

And the very many diverse groups and communities. Engagement is longitudinal.

Thank you.
October 27, 2025 at 8:06 PM
From my decades (not just 3 years) of experience of health and social research with the British South Asian and Black/Caribbean communities.

Shared decision making has always been an ethical dilemma in research yet overlooked.

(Ikhlaq Jacob)
October 19, 2025 at 11:15 PM
For many British South Asians health terms can be fluid where language and words are used interchangeably.

There are many examples: ‘old’ age, weakness, obesity, frailty, fatigue or disability are context and culturally depended when used in health-related terminology.
October 3, 2025 at 11:45 PM
My earlier work showed that many older South Asians were using shopping to get exercise or by walking to their place of worship.

Most were living in multi-generational households and getting out of the house for fresh air was important for their mental well-being.
September 30, 2025 at 11:34 PM
It’s not about joining in a game of football but it’s joining in with the local community.
September 29, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Encouraging older South Asians in Bradford to ‘get up and move’ or to get in extra steps during the day, for example going out shopping.

For those mobility issues suggesting chair exercises. Need to be culturally and community focussed.
September 28, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Cultural Context:

Words, meanings and understandings can be lost in translation.

It’s the question we ask but also how the person on the other side understands it.
September 26, 2025 at 10:53 PM
Are we talking about the same words?

British Pakistanis who speak Potwari (dialect) the lack of standardised vocabulary complicates translation and meanings.

For example, when ‘frailty’ or ‘obesity’ are used the researcher needs to be aware of the nuances of the local dialect.
September 14, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Lost in translation:

‘Frailty’ means ‘kamazori’ in Potwari but it can mean different things.

It’s contextual for British Pakistanis for example, a person can be kamazor due to hearing impairment, having pain or related to mobility (part 2/2).
September 13, 2025 at 12:30 AM
Most British Pakistanis speak Potwari/Punjabi but the dialect has little consistency in the meaning of words, it’s an unwritten vocabulary.

The words are lost in translation for example, ‘frailty’ is context dependent and has many different meanings (part 1/2).
September 12, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Cross-cultural interviews are difficult to undertake the meaning of words can be lost in translation making thematic analysis more difficult.

For example, ‘family’ in the Western sense often means ‘nuclear’ but among British Asians often means the ‘extended family’.
September 11, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Informed Consent: It’s a Dynamic Process:

In research communal decision making can override individual autonomy especially when participants are non-English speakers the family will check if the research is suitable. It’s often a collective shared decision.
September 9, 2025 at 8:02 AM
The Missing Link?

Diverse audiences can interpret research in different ways or they can ignore it if it does not take into account local needs, their cultural beliefs or their lived experiences.

Research in the Community (Ikhlaq Jacob).
September 3, 2025 at 12:12 AM
A BIG THANK YOU!

Last year I spoke to more than 500 people in Bradford working on the Include Study.

I visited diverse communities: Indian, Pakistani and the Bangladeshi, visiting Temples, Gurdwaras, Churches, mosques, community centres and many diverse groups. Thank you.
August 17, 2025 at 2:16 PM
To the hundreds of people I spoke to in Chapeltown and Harehills in Leeds:

A BIG THANK YOU!

For your time and kindness for taking part in the INCLUDE Study.
August 15, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Research is about connections about creating dialogue in the community and that’s important because it’s in the community that you get an opportunity to hear the rich tapestry of narratives.

“When I’m out there is no me and them it’s all of us”.
August 4, 2025 at 12:26 AM
We rarely say ….

Thank you to the hundreds of charities and centres around the UK for helping people in need:

The list is not endless.

@beatedsupport.bsky.social
@charitycomms.bsky.social
@samaritans.bsky.social
@thebhf.bsky.social
@familyfund.bsky.social
July 31, 2025 at 10:11 PM
During Covid-19 many British South Asians ignored or dismissed vital information provided by the Department of Health and the NHS.

This was due to health misinformation being spread at the community level.
July 29, 2025 at 11:52 PM
Health Misinformation can lead to British South Asian people turning to alternative or herbal medicine remedies.

This poses a health risk.
July 28, 2025 at 12:09 PM