Grant: Team Gr: Diabetes Prevention & Treatment in Indigenous Communities: R&W - LOI

Indigenous peoples in Canada are diagnosed with diabetes at a younger age, have greater severity at diagnosis and develop staggering rates of complications (e.g., chronic kidney disease, retinopathy, lower limb amputation). Altogether, diabetes related end-stage kidney disease and death are almost nine times as frequent compared to the rest of the population3. The reasons for these inequities are multifaceted, grounded in historic and ongoing harmful impacts of colonization on traditional ways of living. Existing evidence suggests that any solution to this problem will be similarly complex, requiring a person and community-centred approach that is strongly informed by Indigenous ways of knowing, and cultural safety. These approaches must reflect traditions in Indigenous health and wellness with a better-informed understanding of how Indigenous pathways to resilience can guide and inform improvements in health care, education of health providers and linkages between 'western' health systems and Indigenous paradigms of health and wellness. Through this project, we propose to develop a deeper understanding of gaps and system failures in the provision of diabetes care and prevention through the use of culturally-driven digital storytelling and community engagement to inform co-creation of strategies to support more meaningful and effective support for people living with diabetes and their families, co-creation of interventions to prevent diabetes, and, strengthening communication and collaboration between Weeneeybayko Health Authority health providers and diabetes education and support services, community members (including Indigenous youth and Elders) and Queen's University-based health providers.