Grant: Project Grant

The health care system has failed the Indigenous peoples of Canada; a history of abuse and mistreatment has left many communities with higher rates of disease, suicide, and shorter lifespans. Many communities are far from hospital. There are stories of medical emergencies that face stormy weather, no available boats or helicopters, unavailable responders with first aid training, no cell service, and missing medical supplies. This project, Kwiis hen niip, the Nuu-chah-nulth term for 'change', aims to be a small part of reconciliation to help change some of these glaring inequities. Teamwork is key to solving these complex problems. Our research project brings communities, researchers, government, and health service organizations together to design and evaluate solutions that address problems head on. The research will focus on four Nuu chah nulth communities living on the west coast of Vancouver Island. We have found that government and organizations have many excellent ideas to address the gaps in emergency care; however, these services are uncoordinated and scattered and often not co-developed with Indigenous communities. Our research aims to bring community voices and experience together with service providers and feature indigenous research methods to create and evaluate innovative solutions to improve emergency care. The project team is careful not to fall into colonialistic patterns that interfere with the right to self-determination (to have control of their own lives). We have had several meetings with community members. The project has been met with enthusiasm overlaying a deep frustration that these inequities even exist in. Distinct themes have emerged: first responder support and training, transport, communications, and community readiness. Partner organizations involved will help to improve these essential components of emergency response in an effort to have a holistic model of emergency care with targeted solutions to community-defined challenges.