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Identifying social determinants of health and quality of life measures for an Indigenous digital health ecosystem. Passed

Wednesday May 15, 2024 13:30 - 13:42 G4

Moderator: Helen Lloyd
Presenter: Ayumi Sasaki

Track: Equity

Person-centred healthcare empowers individuals to have a more active role in their personal, social, and community health. This is particularly important for Indigenous communities, who have experienced historical and ongoing colonization and research atrocities. Indigenous ways of being align with a whole-person approach and extend to a nation-based, whole-community approach that respects Indigenous sovereignties. The purpose of this study is to explore and describe social determinants of health (SDOH) and quality of life (QOL) domains and indicators relevant for health and social services in Indigenous communities in Canada. We are critically examining the experiences, priorities, and concerns of Indigenous peoples regarding their SDOH/QOL by conducting: (a) a hermeneutic review of academic and grey literature, (b) an interpretive descriptive qualitative study involving Learning Alliance Table focus groups, storytelling, interviews, and (c) a Delphi study with Indigenous knowledge keepers and service providers. We gathered information from 98 academic articles and via 7 Learning Alliance focus groups, and 2 interviews. Data analysis (currently in progress) involves sensitized reading of the data to Indigenous worldviews. Initial results suggest that SDOH and QOL domains are not mutually exclusive and are grounded in underlying principles of interconnectedness and culture. Participants in the qualitative study shared Indigenous wellness stories describing intricate relationships across SDOH/QOL domains and highlighted the need of a holistic, strength-based framework that is adaptable within each community based on their unique circumstances. Our analysis identifies a gap in knowledge about how to integrate and use SDOH/QOL measures in digital health systems, and emphasizes privileging Indigenous voices for the use of their own data. A next phase of our research is to inform development of an SDOH/QOL measurement framework for integration into a person-centred, Nation-based, community driven, and culturally appropriate Indigenous digital health ecosystem for health and social services in Indigenous communities in Canada. 

Language

English

Seminar type

Pre-recorded + On-site

Lecture type

Orals

Conference

GCPCC

Authors

Kathleen Lounsbury, Ayumi Sasaki, Monica Friesen, Rebecca Stewart, Indigenous Digital Health Ecosystem Research Team Ayumi Sasaki, Kathleen Lounsbury, Monica Friesen, Rebecca Stewart, Cate Tso, Paul Foth, Reilly Baldwin, Kendra Rieger, and Richard Sawatzky

Lecturers

Helen Lloyd Moderator

University of Plymouth

Ayumi Sasaki Presenter

IDHE Research Intern
Trinity Western University

Ayumi Sasaki is a Doctoral candidate in counselling psychology at the University of British Columbia, Canada. She is studying perspectives of living donor kidney transplantation among Indigenous kidney recipients and donors in British Columbia, Canada. She is interested in cross-cultural and cultural counselling, and her clinical practice emphasizes culturally aligned ways of working with clients.