Grant: Doctoral Research Award - Priority Announcement - HIV/AIDS and/or STBBI

Background: Colonialism weakened cultural buffers that traditionally helped Indigenous people cope with stress. Historical and intergenerational trauma (complex trauma) are passed down through generations of Indigenous families and communities and can lead to health challenges like higher chance of HIV and HCV transmission. Evidence suggests high numbers of Indigenous young people are impacted by complex trauma. The ways the mind, body and spirit react to trauma have been linked to negative health outcomes for people who use drugs, but traditional resources are known to help manage these challenges. There is a shortage of research in Canada that looks at complex trauma in urban Indigenous young people who use drugs, and positive action interventions that are built with culture. My research will support a land-based positive action intervention that is connected to culture and focused on healing complex trauma experienced by urban Indigenous young people who use drugs. Objectives: 1) Search the literature for important elements of interventions for complex trauma among urban Indigenous young people who use drugs; 2) find factors that protect against negative health outcomes among participants in the Cedar Project through survey data analysis; 3) map wise practices in response to complex trauma among health organizations in urban areas; 4) Engage with young people and elders through ceremony to explore Indigenous perspectives on harm reduction and positive action. Methods: An Indigenous approach is needed to help build an intervention for complex trauma among Indigenous young people who use drugs. The Cedar Project is an ongoing CIHR-funded cohort study that monitors HIV and HCV among 600-1000 Indigenous young people aged 14-30 who use drugs in Vancouver and Prince George, BC. I will co-design my study, including a protocol for integrated knowledge translation, in collaboration with participants, community members and knowledge keepers.