Moving toward holistic wellness, empowerment and self-determination for Indigenous peoples in Canada: Can traditional Indigenous health care practices increase ownership over health and health care decisions?

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to understand the role that traditional Indigenous health care practices can play in increasing individual-level self-determination over health care and improving health outcomes for urban Indigenous peoples in Canada.METHODS: This project took place in Vancouver, British Columbia and included the creation and delivery of holistic workshops to engage community members (n = 35) in learning about aspects of traditional health care practices. Short-term and intermediate outcomes were discussed through two gatherings involving focus groups and surveys. Data were transcribed, reviewed, thematically analyzed, and presented to the working group for validation. RESULTS:When participants compared their experiences with traditional health care to western health care, they described barriers to care that they had experienced in accessing medical doctors (e.g., racism, mistrust), as well as the benefits of traditional healing (e.g., based on relationships, holistic approach). All participants also noted that they had increased ownership over their choices around, and access to, health care, inclusive of both western and traditional options. They stressed that increased access to traditional health care is crucial within urban settings.CONCLUSIONS: Self-determination within Indigenous urban communities, and on a smaller scale, ownership for individuals, is a key determinant of health for Indigenous individuals and communities; this was made clear through the analysis of the research findings and is also supported within the literature. This research also demonstrates that access to traditional healing can enhance ownership for community members. These findings emphasize that there is a continued and growing need for support to aid urban Indigenous peoples in accessing traditional health care supports.KEY WORDS: Indigenous population; traditional medicine; self determination; holistic health La traduction du résumé se trouve à la fin de l'article.

Creating space for Indigenous healing practices in patient care plans

“…These findings parallel a recent study showing that support for and access to Indigenous healing practices in an urban setting increases empowerment and selfdetermination within healthcare relationships. 5 Indeed, it is well known that patients with chronic conditions have many strategies to become invested and activated in their own care. 20 The agency and understanding from this result in better health outcomes.…”

“…3,4 Reintroducing Indigenous healing practices improved ownership over choices around, and access to, diverse health systems. 5 Further, cultural continuity, implying utilization of healing practices, guards against the development of diabetes 6 and the occurrence of suicide. 7 However, these approaches have not been broadly realized in western health systems that privilege biomedical approaches and western knowledge paradigms and models.…”

The End of Life is an Auspicious Opportunity for Healing

“…Cultural engagement has been shown to be beneficial to the health and well-being of Indigenous people (Auger, Howell, & Gomes, 2016;Gone, 2011;Gone & Looking, 2011). However, government policies aimed at cultural extermination and assimilation have resulted in a tremendous loss of Indigenous knowledge, including end-of-life practices and ceremonies.…”

Follow-up consultations on growth and development: the meaning for quilombo mothers

“…Studies in several countries have already reported on the importance of incorporating such practices into institutional settings, as the need for this type of care is the right of health service users. 11,12 They also point out that such practices should guide state obligations regarding these populations. 11 Research shows that even though healthcare models take into account the peculiarities of the population, there is a tendency for their underutilization to the detriment of the reproduction of the curatorial medical-hegemonic model.…”

“…10 Other countries have also been respecting popular knowledge in their established care models, as evidenced by research in Canada, England, South Africa, Kenya and Jordan; the use of traditional, complementary and alternative practices are highlighted as a right of the people and even fundamental in the care process and the adoption of health decisions. 11,12 Thus, professionals need to promote health care that prioritizes peculiarities and respects the culture of the people during GDM consultations in the quilombo communities. 9 Added to these issues is the unsatisfactory degree of adherence of children to GDM consultations with this problem being considered a challenge for health services.…”