Objectives Inequalities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada persist. Despite the growth of Indigenous populations in urban settings, information on their health is scarce. The objective of this study is to assess the association between experience of discrimination by healthcare providers and having unmet health needs within the Indigenous population of Toronto. Methods The Our Health Counts Toronto (OHCT) database was generated using respondent-driven sampling (RDS) to recruit 917 self-identified Indigenous adults within Toronto for a comprehensive health assessment survey. This cross-sectional study draws on information from 836 OHCT participants with responses to all study variables. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated to examine the relationship between lifetime experience of discrimination by a healthcare provider and having an unmet health need in the 12 months prior to the study. Stratified analysis was conducted to understand how information on access to primary care and socio-demographic factors influenced this relationship. Results The RDS-adjusted prevalence of discrimination by a healthcare provider was 28.5% (95% CI 20.4-36.5) and of unmet health needs was 27.3% (95% CI 19.1-35.5). Discrimination by a healthcare provider was positively associated with unmet health needs (OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.3-7.3). Conclusion This analysis provides new evidence linking discrimination in healthcare settings to disparities in healthcare access among urban Indigenous people, reinforcing existing recommendations regarding Indigenous cultural safety training for healthcare providers. Our study further demonstrates Our Health Counts methodologies, which employ robust community partnerships and RDS to address gaps in health information for urban Indigenous populations.

ObjectivesTo provide evidence of the magnitude of census undercounts of ‘hard-to-reach’ subpopulations and to improve estimation of the size of the urban indigenous population in Toronto, Canada, using respondent-driven sampling (RDS).DesignRespondent-driven sampling.SettingThe study took place in the urban indigenous community in Toronto, Canada. Three locations within the city were used to recruit study participants.Participants908 adult participants (15+) who self-identified as indigenous (First Nation, Inuit or Métis) and lived in the city of Toronto. Study participants were generally young with over 60% of indigenous adults under the age of 45 years. Household income was low with approximately two-thirds of the sample living in households which earned less than $C20 000 last year.Primary and secondary outcome measuresWe collected baseline data on demographic characteristics, including indigenous identity, age, gender, income, household type and household size. Our primary outcome asked: ‘Did you complete the 2011 Census Canada questionnaire?’ResultsUsing RDS and our large-scale survey of the urban indigenous population in Toronto, Canada, we have shown that the most recent Canadian census underestimated the size of the indigenous population in Toronto by a factor of 2 to 4. Specifically, under conservative assumptions, there are approximately 55 000 (95% CI 45 000 to 73 000) indigenous people living in Toronto, at least double the current estimate of 19 270.ConclusionsOur indigenous enumeration methods, including RDS and census completion information will have broad impacts across governmental and health policy, potentially improving healthcare access for this community. These novel applications of RDS may be relevant for the enumeration of other ‘hard-to-reach’ populations, such as illegal immigrants or homeless individuals in Canada and beyond.

Objectives The social position of different minority groups in contemporary societies suggests different risk factors for postpartum depression (PPD). In this study, we used two cutoffs of the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) to examine prevalence and risk factors for PPD among mothers participating in the Canadian Maternity Experiences Survey (MES), and to compare Indigenous, Canadian-born non-Indigenous and immigrant mothers. Methods We used cross-sectional nationwide data from the 2006 MES (unweighted N = 6237, weighted N = 74,231) and conducted multivariate logistic regression models for EPDS ≥ 10 and EPDS ≥ 13 to explore risk factors for the total sample of mothers and in each study group.

ObjectiveCultural safety is an Indigenous concept that can improve how healthcare services are delivered to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada. This study explored how Indigenous and non-Indigenous clients at an urban, Indigenous-focused midwifery practice in Toronto, Canada (Seventh Generation Midwives Toronto, SGMT) conceptualised and experienced culturally safe care.Design and settingInterviews were conducted with former clients of SGMT as a part of a larger evaluation of the practice. Participants were purposefully recruited. Interviews were transcribed and analysed thematically using an iterative, consensus-based approach and a critical, naturalistic, and decolonising lens.ParticipantsSaturation was reached after 20 interviews (n=9 Indigenous participants, n=11 non-Indigenous participants).ResultsThree domains of cultural safety emerged. Each domain included several themes: Relationships and Communication (respect and support for choices; personalised and continuous relationships with midwives; and being different from past experiences); Sharing Knowledge and Practice (feeling informed about the basics of pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period; and having access to Indigenous knowledge and protocols), and Culturally Safe Spaces (feeling at home in practice; and having relationships interconnected with the physical space). While some ideas were shared across groups, the distinctions between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants were prominent.ConclusionThe Indigenous participants conceptualised cultural safety in ways that highlight the survival and resurgence of Indigenous values, understandings, and approaches in cities like Toronto, and affirm the need for Indigenous midwives. The non-Indigenous participants conceptualised cultural safety with both congruence, illuminating Black-Indigenous community solidarities in cultural safety, and divergence, demonstrating the potential of Indigenous spaces and Indigenous-focused midwifery care to also benefit midwifery clients of white European descent. We hope that the positive impacts documented here motivate evaluators and healthcare providers to work towards a future where ‘cultural safety’ becomes a standard of care.

This article reports on recommendations made by urban Métis women for improving access to health and social services in Toronto, Canada. By applying a conversational method, this research followed up with a subgroup of urban Métis women who participated in the Our Health Counts Toronto longitudinal cohort. Métis women (n = 11) provided holistic and practical recommendations for improving access to health and social services. These recommendations include (a) Métis presence, (b) holistic interior design, (c) Métis specific or informed service space, (d) welcoming reception/front desk, and (e) culturally informed service providers. During the conversations, the women shared positive experiences with an Indigenous-informed midwifery practice called Seventh Generation Midwives Toronto. Examples from the women will be provided of Seventh Generation Midwives Toronto to illustrate how the recommendations may look in practice. This research illustrates that Métis women hold solutions for improving access to health and social services for the Métis community.