Grant: Project Grant

This project is a collaboration between the Métis Nation of Alberta (MNA) and Métis and non-Métis researchers to evaluate the health status of Métis mothers and their babies in Alberta. The Métis are post-contact Indigenous peoples. They have unique identity, values, language, and traditions. One in three Indigenous persons in Canada identify themselves as Métis. Alberta has the largest population of Métis in Canada. In contrast, there have been a few studies about Métis health. None of them have evaluated the health of Métis mothers and their babies. It is also important to know how circumstances in which people are born, grow up, and live (social determinants of health) affect their outcomes. Métis-specific research is urgently needed in this area. The word Ehawawisit in Michif language means "With Child". For the Métis, pregnancy and birth are a time of connection with their own heritage through the child. From a Métis point of view, the health of mother and baby are mirrors of the health of the community. This idea aligns with the concept of social determinants of health. Our research has three objectives: 1) to compare health status of mothers and newborns between Métis and non-Métis in Alberta; 2) to evaluate the role of social determinants of health on these outcomes; and 3) to explore from a Métis point of view how colonialism and its social effects have influenced these outcomes and Métis experiences of pregnancy and birth. We will conduct a cohort study based on administrative health data, and Métis Gatherings of knowledge holders using talking circles and storytelling. Research results will influence the planning of maternal and perinatal services for Métis women in Alberta within the new MNA Comprehensive Health and Wellness Centre, a MNA initiative to provide culturally safe, community health care to Métis in Alberta. Our work will provide knowledge to inform Métis-specific programs that address the unique challenges of Métis mothers and their babies.