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Works at McGill University in Montreal
World leading expert in cultural psychology
Received her MA from Berkeley
PhD from the department of Anthropology and Social Studies of Medicine at McGill University
Professor at the University of Saskatchewan
Also Co Authored a few books and papers in the field of indigenous studies
Identifying key concepts and issues in order to guide culturally appropriate mental health treatments and strategies for aboriginal peoples in Canada
Authors review recent literature looking at the links between colonialism/government interventions and the mental health of aboriginal peoples in Canada
In 2006, 1.17 million individuals self-identified as Aboriginal in Canada (3.8% of total population)
According to Health Canada, in 2001 the average life expectancy for First Nations men was 70.4 compared to 77.1 years for the general population and for First Nations women it was 75.5 versus 82.2 years
Aboriginal peoples suffer from a wide range of health problems at much higher rates than other Canadians.
Aboriginal peoples are:
- 6 to 7 times more likely to develop tuberculosis
- 4 to 5 times more likely to develop diabetes
- 3 times more likely to have heart disease and hypertension
- Injuries and poisonings main cause of potential years lost
- 1.5x national death rate
- 6.5x the national rate of death by injuries or poisoning
Aboriginal people of Canada have faced cultural oppression and social marginalization through the action of European colonizers and their institutions since the earliest periods of time
Edmonton - Grandin LRT station (2021)
Economic, political, and religious institutions of the European settlers all contributed to the displacement and oppression of indigenous peoples
Prior to the arrival of Europeans, estimates of the indigenous population of North America ranges upward from about 7 million - close to 90% of these people died as a result of direct and indirect effects of culture contact
Canadian policies have continued the process of destruction of indigenous cultures.
These policies caused: the creation of reserves, relocation to remote regions, residential schools, chronic underfunding and poor resourcing of essential services such as health care and education, and bureaucratic control.
www.CBC.ca
Photo of children at the St. Albert Youville Residential School. (Photo via the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.)
Aboriginal housing was often poor quality and crowded which increased the risk of disease transmission (such as TB), which leads to:
- prolonged visits to hospitals
- further subversion of aboriginal communities
A family in the First Nations community of Pikangikum in northwestern Ontario (2011)
www.CBC.ca
Iqaluit reserve (2020) www.CBC.ca
Aboriginal people did not choose any of the aboriginal settlements
They were moved to undesirable plots of land
Went beyond reservations and residential schools
Provinces were put in charge for the welfare of aboriginal peoples
60s Scoop
What are the consequences of being assimilated and having your identity being stripped from you?
We will look at epidemiological studies and ethnographic studies to answer this
Mental illness is a prominent concern for indigenous communities
Identifies the magnitude and distribution of mental health and social problems of Aboriginal peoples in Canada
Instead of using questionnaires, researchers instead utilized structured interviews.
Clinic- and service-utilization services
High variation is found for results for prevalence rates
Some studies suggest there is less mental illness
Some studies suggest there is more than twice the rate of mental illness
Why are we seeing so much variation in our results?
Flower of Two Soils Re-Interview Study
- Found that 43% of respondents received at least one diagnosis for a DSM-III-R disorder
- Two thirds of respondents reported experiencing a traumatic event
- Dramatic indicator of distress
- Suicide rates are variable
- Variations between communities have much to teach us about the community-level factors that affect suicide rate
- Qualitative
- Looking at narrative and life histories
- Looking at structural effects of disrupting families and communities
- Looking at the transmission of explicit models and ideologies of parenting based on experiences in punitive institutional settings
Research looking at seven factors: Self government, involvemnet in land claims, band control of education, health services, cultural facilities, police services, and fire services
- Correlation between suicide and factors of cultural continuity
Provides evidence for the impact that community-level factors can have on an individual
Provides basis for future studies that are looking to investigate mental health - we need to be looking at history, structure, and dynamics of communities
Cultural and ethnic identity must be understood as a construction of contemporary people responding to their current situation - cultures are in a constant flux
Egotistic vs Ecotistic
Ecotistic view of the person emphasizes not only community relationships but also nature
Recent efforts for reversing the cultural marginalization
1993 RCMP investigation of residential schools (1890-1984)
- "Breaking the silence"
Canada responded with: Canada's Aboriginal Action Plan
1.9 billion dollar agreement
- Common experience payment
www.CBC.ca (2015)
- Throwing money at the problem
- Must address environmental aspects of the problem
The social origins of mental health problems in Aboriginal communities demand political and social attention/action
Further research into the variations in the prevalence of health disorders across communities may provide vital information about community level variables
Other areas of possible focus for future research regarding mental health of indigenous peoples?
Factors we are not considering?