Research

What is Research?

Investigating a question or an idea that is written or displayed as statistics or charts.

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Artifact Story:

Literature Review: Marginalization of Indigenious Women in the Canadian Health Care System: Reproductive Rights and Health Policies

Literature Review Link to:"Marginalization of Indigenious Women in the Canadian Health Care System: Reproductive Rights and Health Policies"

Abstract

As history is reminisced in the present, many Indigenious women have been discriminated; in which this literature review investigates the reproductive rights and health policies centred on Indigenious women in Canada. This literature review using the following terms; marginalization, Indigenous people and intersectionality. Marginalization is described as the unethical mistreatment toward a socially categorized group based on their ethnicity. The term Indigenous people refers to the native people who first settled in Canada. Intersectionality is defined as, the influence of more than one aspect of one’s social background such as race, gender and age that have an influence on one’s social environment (Crenshaw 1989). In this literature review, two articles were analyzed including; “Regionalization as an Opportunity for Meaningful Indigenous Participation in Healthcare: Comparing Canada and New Zealand” and “International Teen Reproductive Health and Development: The Canadian First Nations Context”” (Lavoie, Boulton and Gervais 2012; Mann 2013). Firstly, the first article is about research conducted around health care policies in Canada and New Zealand. Secondly, the second article conveys a study on the available services for the reproductive teen health of Indigenous women around the world including teens from Canada. From the review, Indigenous participation in policy-making is suggested from the first article on health care policies in Canada and New Zealand (Lavoie, Boulton and Gervais 2012). Additionally, the second article expresses the barriers and social problems that Indigenous face during pregnancy. Through the evaluation of both articles, it is determined that cultural context in health care is important in order for health care services to be accessible and attainable to Indigenous women. Indeed, Indigenous women have experienced discrimination not only for their Indigenious status but as women in society.

Results

This literature review allowed me to gain insight on how Indigenous women are treated in the Canadian health care system. I was able to selectively choose articles appropriate for my research on the treatment of Indigenous women in the Canadian health care system. Using my research skills, I examined the articles in order to describe the articles by summation, method of research, main findings, literature review and a comparative analysis between my selected articles. From my research, I learned that health policies lack Indigenous participation in decision-making of policies and Indigenous female teens face many barriers in health care services during pregnancies. In conclusion, both articles support the need for cultural understanding in health care for better accessibility of health care services to Indigenous women.

Reflection

Through this literature review, I was able to use my research skills and analytical skills to explain two articles; in relation to my topic on the treatment of Indigenous women in health care. This composition allowed me to understand the importance of evidence-based research, as the findings of each article can influence policy change and the improvement of services. For instance, I learned that a cultural context in health care would significantly improve health care services for Indigenous women; since there is no Indigenous participation in decision-making process of health policies and Indigenous people rely on traditional methods of treatment and Native spirituality. From this literature review, I gained a better understanding of the consideration of Indigenous people in health care and health care policies. With this understanding, I am compelled to address these concerns, as a public health advocate in the workplace, when given the opportunity. As a future public health advocate, I would be deeply committed to ensuring health care services that suits the needs and concerns of those seeking health care; especially when evoking the social thought and the anthropological perspective in my advocacy.

References:

Crenshaw, Kimberle. “Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics” University of Chicago Legal Forum:Vol. 1989 Iss. 1, Article 8. Retrieved at:https://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=http://www.law.columbia.edu/news/2017/06/kimberle-crenshaw-intersectionality&httpsredir=1&article=1052&context=uclf

Lavoie, Josée G., Amohia F. Boulton and Gervais, Laverne. 2012. "Regionalization as an Opportunity for Meaningful Indigenous Participation in Healthcare: Comparing Canada and New Zealand." International Indigenous Policy Journal”(1) (http://myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/docview/1400428692?accountid=14771).

Mann, Michelle M. 2013. "International Teen Reproductive Health and Development: The Canadian First Nations Context." International Indigenous Policy Journal”(1) (https://search-proquest-com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/socabs/docview/1400415271/3F7886B5BAA94C1APQ/3?accountid=14771).

Sevilleno, Jeannine. 2018. "Marginalization of Indigenous Women in the Canadian Health Care System: Reproductive Health and Health Policies”.