Thesis Format
Monograph
Degree
Master of Science
Program
Geography and Environment
Supervisor
Luginaah, Isaac
Abstract
Cultural safety is a vital continuum needed in biomedical healthcare to address historical and systemic inequities faced by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples in Canada. Cultural safety seeks to create environments where people receiving care feel welcomed and respected, free from discrimination and cultural misunderstandings. This continuum is crucial for improving Indigenous health outcomes and building trust between healthcare providers and Indigenous communities. This research investigated how different regions in Canada, framed implementing cultural safety in healthcare environments by asking: How are provincial and territorial cancer care strategies proposing culturally safe care for Indigenous Peoples within healthcare facilities? Drawing on a qualitative approach, a thematic analysis is utilized, examining four provincial and one territorial cancer care strategy. Through a thematic analysis, key themes emerged related to culturally safe care principles, practices, and physical space design. The findings highlight the varying degrees of integration of Indigenous cultural safety principles across regions, with some strategies demonstrating comprehensive approaches to the key themes, while others show limited responses. This research underscores the importance of incorporating Indigenous voices, health perspectives, and Traditional Healing Practices into the development and implementation of cancer care strategies to ensure high-quality care for Indigenous individuals, families, and communities. Recommendations for researchers and policymakers include promoting culturally safe physical spaces and features for these populations.
Summary for Lay Audience
Accessing healthcare can be difficult for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples in Canada. Many healthcare facilities fail to treat Indigenous Peoples with respect or an understanding of their cultural backgrounds, thereby creating unwelcoming places of care. The process of cultural safety in healthcare aims to foster trusting places where Indigenous Peoples receiving care are respected, cultural practices are encouraged and are free from forms of discrimination. Implementing cultural safety in healthcare facilities can aid in the enhancement of health outcomes and can build trust between healthcare providers and Indigenous communities. This research looks at how various regions in Canada are proposing culturally safe care in their cancer care strategies intended for Indigenous Peoples. The cancer care journey is hard to navigate, therefore, it is crucial that individuals, families, and communities feel safe and advocated for throughout this difficult and stressful time.
From analyzing a total of five strategies, some regions made significant contributions towards the implementation of culturally safe care principles and practices, while others fell short. Therefore, this study emphasizes the importance of considering Indigenous health perspectives when formulating healthcare plans. It demonstrates how respectful and culturally appropriate healthcare settings can result in better treatment and encounters for Indigenous Peoples, both through human interactions (e.g., healthcare provider and Indigenous Peoples) and non-human interactions (e.g., Indigenous Peoples experiencing cancer, their families, and their communities with the physical healthcare facility’s spaces and features – artwork, spaces for ceremony, etc.). This thesis offers recommendations for scholars and policymakers around the provision of culturally safe care and the need to incorporate the physical spaces and features into the evaluation of Indigenous cultural safety within healthcare facilities.
Recommended Citation
Jones, Scotlynn M., "An exploration of Indigenous cultural safety within cancer care strategies in Canada" (2024). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 10376.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/10376
Included in
Community Health Commons, Health and Medical Administration Commons, Human Geography Commons, Indigenous Studies Commons, Patient Safety Commons