Grant: Catalyst Grant: Patient-Oriented Research

There are calls to integrate Indigenous knowledges and wellness practices into healthcare systems. However, Western research approaches are often used in an attempt to understand Indigenous perspectives, resulting in findings and policies which fail to address the priorities and health needs of Indigenous peoples. Storytelling, long used by Indigenous communities to share knowledge, is increasingly being used as a research approach by Indigenous people and settlers to privilege Indigenous perspectives. However, this work has not been critically reviewed. Our study purpose is to better understand and elevate the use of storytelling as an approach in Indigenous health research. In this collaborative research project, a team of Indigenous patients, Elders, healthcare providers, and administrators will join Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers to bring multiple perspectives and experiences to the research. Our multidisciplinary team will find and critically review research using storytelling to determine how this approach has been used in Indigenous health research. Team members will co-create the research objectives, and continue to work together throughout the research project to ensure that Indigenous patient voices and perspectives are prioritized. We will also develop a framework to guide the respectful use of storytelling approaches in health research that involves Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. Although we understand some of the reasons behind why the health of Indigenous peoples is worse than the health of other Canadians, there are still many unknowns. Research that prioritizes Indigenous voices and knowledges using storytelling is crucial for filling the gaps in our understanding. This research project will develop a better understanding of respectful approaches to storytelling in health research among Indigenous peoples, and promote storytelling as a meaningful way of gaining new knowledge to address the health needs of Indigenous peoples.