RRCLibrary: Indigenous Health & Well-Being: Health Care Access

Health Care Access

Access to quality and culturally relevant health care that serves an individual’s many health needs is a pillar of well-being. Health-care workers are not only important for the early diagnosis and treatment of chronic and acute medical conditions, but they are an important point-of-contact for many First Nations community members. Unfortunately, the legacy of colonialism has meant that First Nations communities have long experienced a lack of adequate, culturally appropriate health-care services.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action includes seven health-related recommendations which seek to improve the quality of care available in First Nations communities but are not limited to:

Recognition and implementation of the health-care rights of Indigenous peoples,
Establishment of measurable goals to close the gaps in health outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities,
Recognition of the distinct health-care needs of Indigenous peoples,
Provision of sustainable funding for healing centres,
Recognition of the value of Indigenous healing practices,
Increased number of Indigenous health-care professionals, and,
Cultural competency training for those in the health-care field.

Websites and Documents

Bringing Reconciliation to Healthcare in Canada
This HealthCareCAN Report discusses critical issues facing Indigenous Peoples in Canada, and the role that Canadian health leaders play in helping to close the health gap. It also presents wise practices for health leaders and organizations to address the health-related Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) based on a literature review, interviews with key stakeholders, and case studies of several health care organizations. The term “wise practices” is widely used in Indigenous contexts to describe locally appropriate Indigenous actions that contribute to sustainable and equitable conditions.
Indigenous Early Childhood Development in Canada (2019)
Indigenous peoples experience a disproportionate burden of ill health associated with the socioeconomic context of their lives. Investing in quality early childhood development and care programs for Indigenous children is critical to redressing these health imbalances. This paper provides a brief overview of the current state of knowledge and knowledge gaps on the health and well-being of First Nations, Inuit and Métis young children and highlights future directions for Indigenous ECD programs and policies.
National Report on First Nations Regional Health Survey (2018)
See Phase 3 Volume 2 Chapter Two: Health-Care Access
Access to quality and culturally relevant health care that serves an individual’s many health needs is a pillar of well-being. Health-care workers are not only important for the early diagnosis and treatment of chronic and acute medical conditions, but they are an important point-of-contact for many First Nations community members. Unfortunately, the legacy of colonialism has meant that First Nations communities have long experienced a lack of adequate, culturally appropriate health-care services.
Our People, Our Health: Envisioning Better Primary Healthcare in Manitoba First Nation Communities
Understanding communities’ priorities and local health agendas is critical for primary healthcare transformation. We used a community-based participatory research approach to engage keypartners: Nanaandawewiwgamig, the First Nations Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba, and eight First Nation communities. Key themes that emerged from these interviews include primary prevention focused on health and social determinants; an integrated healthcare system providing access to both Western and First Nations traditional health knowledge; infrastructure improvement; youth engagement; healthcare leadership; investing in community-based human resources; and promoting culturally respectful, responsive, geographically sensitive, and outcomes-oriented care.

Library Resources

Determinants of Indigenous Peoples' Health : Beyond the Social by Margo Greenwood, Sarah de Leeuw, Nicole Marie Lindsay, eds.
Location: RA 450.4 .I53 D482 2018 (Located at NDC)
This edited collection, comprised largely of contributions by Indigenous authors, offers the voices and expertise of First Nations, Inuit, and Metis writers from across Canada. The multitude of health determinants of Indigenous peoples are considered in a selection of chapters that range from scholarly papers by research experts in the field, to reflective essays by Indigenous leaders.
Northern and Indigenous Health and Health Care by Heather Exner-Pirot, Bente. Norbye and Lorna Butler
Location: Open Education Resource
Publication Date: 2018
The provision of northern health care entails many unique challenges and circumstances that are rarely represented in mainstream health sciences education. This OpenEd Resource provides accessible content on health and health care from a northern perspective for the growing number of health professionals being educated in northern communities.
Social Determinants of Health in Manitoba by Lynne Fernandez, Shauna MacKinnon, and Jim Silver, editors.
Location: RA 450 .M3 S63 2015 (Located at NDC)
This book contains 20 chapters that describe and analyse the social and economic conditions in Manitoba that affect people's health. Written by a variety of experts, it also includes policy recommendations to improve health outcomes for the province, with a particular focus on Manitoba's Indigenous population.
Under-Served: Health Determinants of Indigenous, Inner-city, and Migrant Populations in Canada by Akshaya Neil Arya and Thomas Piggott, eds.
Location: RA 418.3 .C2 U55 2018 (Located at NDC)
This crucial text broadens traditional determinants of health--social, economic, environmental, and behavioural elements--to include factors like family and community, government policies, mental health and addiction, disease, homelessness and housing, racism, youth, and LGBTQ that heavily influence these under-served populations.

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