Digital Health Initiative in Canadian Indigenous Communities

Indigenous Peoples experience health disparities at a disproportionately high rate. The goal of this research is to understand how health sovereignty might address issues of health inequalities and environmental disparities Indigenous Peoples experience. The specific objectives are to i) determine how health and wellness are defined from an Indigenous perspective; ii) work with communities to collect and analyze community health data, with a particular focus on the current COVID-19 pandemic; and iii) identify solutions with communities to address the issues with health and health care access. The study area for this project will include Indigenous communities from across Canada. Information will be gathered through mixed method questionnaires and shared with community members; also, complementary interviews with keepers of health knowledge and community health directors. Important themes reflected in the questionnaire include general health and wellbeing, access to health services and information, mental health, access to and control over food, access to land, ceremony, and demographics. This research is an opportunity to look at how health sovereignty might close the health gap that exists between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and will play a crucial role in understanding how Indigenous communities are changing and overcoming barriers. It will also help address knowledge gaps related to community health and wellness and the effectiveness of government policies that are being implemented in communities. The holistic nature of this research will allow for better understanding of mental, physical, social, and cultural health in Indigenous communities in Canada. Health projects grounded in community priorities and work toward sovereignty over health are paramount.