Grant: Operating Grant: NEIHR - Alberta

The Indigenous Primary Health Care and Policy Research (IPHCPR) Network supports researchers, health system leadership, health service providers and Indigenous community to connect to build knowledge for improving primary health care (PHC) for Indigenous Peoples. The first phase of the Network nurtured research that responds to the needs of community, is grounded within Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Doing and addresses the impacts of ongoing colonization of Indigenous peoples. In alignment with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, the Network builds knowledge for the PHC system to effectively support Indigenous people in their healing from multi-generational adverse life experiences and gaining wellness through connecting with Indigenous knowledge. It builds knowledge to shape health care and policy that truly addresses social issues (such as poverty and racism) that produce overwhelming toxic and stressful social environments that undermine health and wellness. In the second phase, IPHCPR will continue its aim to clearly define the emerging knowledge area of Indigenous PHC which is unique as it is deeply connected to community knowledge as well as social, political, clinical and population health care knowledge areas. It will support putting knowledge into practice for appropriate, rigorously designed, and effectively evaluated PHC that ensures accessible and quality health care focused on promoting health equity with Indigenous peoples. The work will be achieved through three pillars: I) Engagement and Reciprocity; II) Capacity Development; and III) Knowledge Mobilization. Pillars I and II connect and build capacity with trainees, researchers of diverse disciplinary backgrounds and policy partners for research in Indigenous PHC. Pillar III focuses on building capacity for health systems and implementation science research led by IPHCPR in response to emerging PHC issues identified by communities and systems partners.