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Racism partly to blame for unequal health care provided to Indigenous women: PHAC study

Multiple studies have connected poorer health outcomes for Indigenous females
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Indigenous communities are still deeply affected by the 2020 death of Atikamekw woman Joyce Echaquan in a Quebec hospital, where she filmed staff insulting her as she lay dying, Lee Clark said. The Canadian Press/Paul Chiasson

Racism and the lack of primary care providers mean off-reserve First Nations, Metis and Inuit women and girls have poorer health overall compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts, says a study by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Compared with non-Indigenous females, those in the three distinct groups reported a higher prevalence of diagnosed chronic diseases and worse mental health, including mood or anxiety disorders, says the study, which noted CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 colonial history of residential schools, forced or coerced sterilization and destruction of traditional lands.

Researchers used data for all females aged 15 to 55 from the annual Canadian Community Health Survey between 2015 and 2020. That amounted to 6,000 people from the three distinct groups and 74,760 non-Indigenous females, all in their reproductive years.

SA国际影视传媒淚ndigenous females waited longer for primary care, more used hospital services for non-urgent care and fewer had consultations with dental professionals,SA国际影视传媒 says the study, published Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Lead researcher Sebastian Srugo said that while thousands of women across Canada lack a family doctor, SA国际影视传媒渢hose conversations are happening much, much more among Indigenous women.SA国际影视传媒

SA国际影视传媒淓ven when we compare Indigenous women and people assigned female at birth to non-Indigenous counterparts of a similar age, similar education, income and living in the same places, we still have those gaps,SA国际影视传媒 Srugo said.

Women who were pregnant or had just given birth were worse off, and that could affect their children years later, he said.

SA国际影视传媒淭his is about intergenerational impacts of not having access to this care,SA国际影视传媒 Srugo said. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 also about a justifiable lack of trust that Indigenous communities have with the health-care system in Canada.SA国际影视传媒

Primary care providers could support the women in their reproductive decisions and assess them for conditions including heart disease, depression and cancer, he said.

Limited research

Multiple studies have connected poorer health outcomes for Indigenous females compared to the wider population.

But Srugo said the PHAC study adds to limited research involving First Nations, Metis and Inuit, which have diverse cultures, languages and histories but are typically lumped together as Indigenous Peoples.

The study included 2,902 First Nations, 2,345 Metis and 742 Inuit women and girls. Researchers also received input from an advisory committee specifically created for the project. Members were from four organizations SA国际影视传媒 Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak (Women of the Metis Nation), the Native WomenSA国际影视传媒檚 Association of Canada, Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada and 2 Spirits in Motion.

While Lee Clark, director of health for the Native WomenSA国际影视传媒檚 Association of Canada, lauded federal researchers for partnering with Indigenous organizations, she said their study should not become SA国际影视传媒渙ne more paper in the pile of evidenceSA国际影视传媒 that has made little difference in the lives of women deprived of equitable care.

Researchers themselves cited the challenges in access to care in a SA国际影视传媒渄isjointed jurisdictional system, resulting in medical relocations for birthing and general health care.SA国际影视传媒

Clark said she hoped the federal government would use the findings to SA国际影视传媒渉old provinces accountableSA国际影视传媒 to deliver targeted programs for women whose needs have been sidelined for too long.

Indigenous communities are still deeply affected by the 2020 death of Atikamekw woman Joyce Echaquan in a Quebec hospital, where she filmed staff insulting her as she lay dying, she said.

SA国际影视传媒淭he majority of people I speak with in the community, we have stories of blatant racism,SA国际影视传媒 she said from Gatineau, Que. SA国际影视传媒淐olonialism isnSA国际影视传媒檛 historic. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 ongoing. These harms are continuing and theySA国际影视传媒檙e perpetuated still. JoyceSA国际影视传媒檚 example is just one of the examples that was recorded.SA国际影视传媒

In a decision earlier this month, anarbitration tribunal ordered the reinstatement of an orderly who was fired by the hospital. An arbitrator wrote that while the employee made inappropriate comments toward Echaquan, she was not responsible for most of the poor treatment the patient received compared to the SA国际影视传媒渋nsulting, vulgar, racist and rude remarks and behaviourSA国际影视传媒 of a nurse. That nursewas also fired for telling Echaquan that she was stupid and SA国际影视传媒渂etter off dead.SA国际影视传媒

Clark also called on federal and provincial governments to work together to incorporate Indigenous practices in health care, including midwifery that uses traditional practices.

SA国际影视传媒淧ockets of this is happening, recently in Nova Scotia. It needs to be everywhere. It needs to be more accepted. The medicalization of birth is just an outright stamp of colonialism.SA国际影视传媒

By Camille Bains - The Canadian Press





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