The study is on racism against First Nation peoples in the Canadian healthcare system. The study design incorporates principles of grounded theory, participant and Indigenous (decolonizing) research. Four questions are addressed: (1) What is the root cause of racism against First Nation peoples in the healthcare system? (2) What factors perpetuate racisms existence? (3) What are the impacts of racism on First Nation health? (4) What needs to be done to eradicate racism and to create an equitable healthcare system that sufficiently represents the needs, interests and values of First Nation peoples?

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The mMom project demonstrated the acceptability of mHealth in a remote Vietnamese region with a high proportion of disadvantaged EMW. The messages promoted increased contact between participants and health providers, which holds potential to address the marginalization of EMW from the health system.

This qualitative study introduced the "Manitoba First Nation Strengthening Families Maternal Child Health Pilot Project" program and evaluation methodologies. The study provided a knowledge base for programmers, evaluators, and communities to develop relevant health promotion, prevention, and intervention programming to assist in meeting health needs of pregnant women and young families. Sixty-five open-ended, semistructured interviews were completed in 13 communities. Data analysis was through grounded theory. Three major themes emerged from the data: interpersonal support and relationships; socioeconomic factors; and community initiatives. Complex structural, historical events compromise parenting; capacity and resilience are supported through informal and formal health and social supports.

This paper summarizes a study that explored perspectives of Manitoba First Nation women on teenage pregnancy and parenthood. Data was derived through a qualitative methodology focusing on a life storytelling approach within a culturally informed framework and setting. The two main objectives of the study were to: (a) elucidate community perspectives on teenage pregnancy and parenting, and (b) understand their psychological, cultural, and socioeconomic causes and implications. The study was designed in consultation with staff and participants of the Manitoba First Nation Strengthening Families Maternal Child Health Program (SF-MCH). Through the storytelling technique, the women were able to practice or "work out" the unfolding of their personal relationships, past and present. Themes arose from the data that shed light upon women’s personal relationship experiences, meanings they ascribe to them, values, and aspirations for the future. The study included a participant engagement in policy development activity that had the women consider types of policies and programs to better support youth in First Nation communities.

This article reviews literature on the gradual construction of teenage pregnancy as a social issue in North America. It shows how teen motherhood emerged not as an issue unto itself, but as a microcosm of numerous, closely intertwined phenomena including: the evolution of Western views on human sexuality and gender roles; the place of religious values in society; and the emergence of various modern technologies, the social and medical sciences, and how such disciplines view childhood, motherhood, and women in society. In particular, it shows that even as teen pregnancy is today viewed primarily through public health and/or socioeconomic lenses, it has never been completely divorced from its original construction – as an indicator of failure to adhere to social, religious, and moral values. The article closes with an informal content analysis of several First Nations-related documents that highlight both similarities and differences to the non-Aboriginal perspective.

Introduction & Background Global persistence of health inequities for Indigenous peoples is evident in ongoing discrepancies in health and standards of living. International literature suggests the key to transformation lies in Indigenous efforts to control Indigenous health and healthcare. Previous authors have focused upon participation, structural transformation, and culturally appropriate healthcare recognized as a political right as fundamental tenets of Indigenous control. Contextualizing Indigenous health and wellness falls within a growing discussion on decolonization – a resituating of expertise that privileges Indigenous voice and interests. Methods The study is a qualitative, grounded theory analysis, which is a constructivist approach to social research allowing for generation of theory in praxis, through interactions and conversations between researchers and participants. One hundred eighty-three interviews with additional focus groups were held between 2013-15 in eight Manitoba First Nation communities representing different models of health delivery, geographies, accessibilities, and Indigenous language groups. Community research assistants and respected Elders participated in data collection, analysis and interpretation. Line-by-line coding and constant comparative method led to the discovery of converging themes. Findings Ultimately four main themes arose: 1) First Nation control of healthcare; 2) traditional medicine and healing activities; 3) full and meaningful community participation; and 4) cleaning up impacts of colonization. Joint analyses and interpretation of findings revealed substantial evidence that communities were looking profoundly into problems of improperly delivered services and health inequities. Issues were consistent with those highlighted by international commissions on reconciliation, health, Indigenous rights and liberties. To those documents, these findings add ground upon which to build the transformative agenda. Results & Discussion Communities discussed the need for creation of protocols, constitution and laws to ensure growth of a decolonizing agenda. Inclusive to the concept are holistic, preventative, traditional health perspectives, and Indigenous languages. Colonization impacts were of critical concern and in need of undoing. Sharing of social and political efforts is seen as pivotal to change and includes all members of communities.

Background This paper focuses on a longitudinal research program in Manitoba, Canada, by the Innovation Supporting Transformation in Community-Based Research Project (iPHIT) to learn from First Nations across the province that have developed effective community-based primary healthcare models. The research is relevant and timely as First Nations across the country, and Indigenous populations globally, work towards improvements in population health and health equity via critical analysis and restructuring of health services. The purpose of the paper is to deepen an understanding of decolonization as it is defined within the communities, as a central aspect of health restructuring. Methods The study is a qualitative, grounded theory analysis, which is a constructivist approach to social research that allows for generation of theory in praxis, through interactions and conversations between researchers and research participants. Findings are based on 183 in-depth interviews and eight focus group discussions with participants from 8 Manitoba First Nation communities. The study was designed to understand strengths, limitations and priorities of primary healthcare strategies and frameworks of the communities. The iPHIT team was an active collaborative partnership between the First Nation communities, First Nation Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba, and the University of Manitoba. The First Nation partners led in all aspects of the research, from development to implementation, data collection, analyses, and dissemination. Respected Elders from the communities also guided in appropriate research and engagement protocols. Results Data was coded and then grouped into 4 interconnecting themes. These are: (1) First Nation control of healthcare, (2) traditional medicine and healing activities, (3) full community participation, and (4) moving out of colonization involves cleaning up and moving beyond the mess that colonization has inflicted. Conclusion Decolonizing health involves a taking back of Indigenous wisdom and traditional activities; connections to the land, resources; intra- and inter-community relationships. Participants emphasized the value of full community engagement with respect to inclusion of different interpretations of and experiences in the world, highlighting creation of a shared vision. The study focused on First Nation community experiences and interests in Manitoba specifically, though the data may be applicable to national and global decolonization efforts.