Curated Resources on Indigenous Health and Equity in Canada
Introduction
As a Medical Laboratory Technologist (MLT) practicing in Ontario, understanding the broader social, historical, and systemic context of Indigenous health is essential for interpreting laboratory results with cultural humility and professional accountability. The following curated resources provide a comprehensive overview of the structural barriers, social determinants, and health disparities affecting Indigenous populations in Canada. This collection integrates peer-reviewed research, media reports, government publications, and evidence-based fact sheets to support culturally safe and equity-focused practice. Each resource contributes to professional development by linking diagnostic interpretation with public health equity, reconciliation, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Scholarly Resources:
1. Indigenous Health Equity in Canada
Richmond, C. A. M., & Cook, C. (2016). Creating conditions for Canadian Aboriginal health equity: The promise of public health policy. Public Health Reviews, 37(2). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40985-016-0016-5
Annotation:
This peer-reviewed paper is a foundational work on Indigenous health equity in Canada, exploring the relationship between policy, social determinants of health, and Indigenous worldviews. It also provides clear insight into the structural barriers that contribute to the high prevalence of disease. It helps to better understand how findings in the lab can reflect broader systemic inequities. Therefore, it provides insight into the importance of policy reform for improving outcomes.
2. Laboratory Data and Indigenous Health
Dyck, R., Osgood, N., Lin, T. H., Gao, A., & Stang, M. R. (2010). Epidemiology of diabetes mellitus among First Nations and non-First Nations adults. CMAJ, 182(3), 249–256. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.090846
Annotation:
This peer-reviewed study examines the differences in chronic disease prevalence between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations. It supports my evidence-based understanding of population health trends by linking biomedical evidence, such as diabetes biomarkers, to broader social inequities, which informs my interpretation of diagnostic data.
3. Prostate Cancer Screening Inequities
Kinnaird, K., Thiruchelvam, D., et al. (2023). Disparities in prostate cancer screening, diagnoses, management, and outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous men in a universal health care system. Canadian Urological Association Journal, 17(5), 120–129. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37424308
Annotation:
This study presents evidence of delayed prostate cancer screening and advanced disease presentation among Indigenous men compared to non-Indigenous men in Canada. It highlights how systemic inequities directly impact diagnostic timelines and outcomes, supporting the role of MLTs in contextualizing laboratory results within broader health equity frameworks.
4. Prostate Cancer Screening Disparities
Kiciak, A., Clark, W., Uhlich, M., Letendre, A., Vasquez, C., Medina Martin, A., Kolinsky, M., & Kinnaird, A. (2023). Disparities in prostate cancer screening, diagnoses, management, and outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous men in a universal health care system. Cancer, 129(18), 2864–2870. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.34812
Annotation:
This peer-reviewed study examines inequities in prostate cancer detection and treatment between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations. It highlights how delayed screenings and diagnostic inequities impact outcomes. As an MLT, it reinforces the importance of timely and accurate laboratory testing and encourages awareness of how upstream social factors can influence the data I process and report.
Media and Video Resources:
1. Indigenous Wellness Perspectives
Richmond, C. A. M. (2017). Geographies of Indigenous Health and Wellness [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne35-RxcVLc
Annotation:
This video illustrates an Indigenous relational model of wellness that inter-relates the physical, emotional, spiritual, and community domains. This source supports my cultural competence by considering non-biomedical factors that influence patient experiences and outcomes. As a result, I am better able to interpret clinical data with a greater degree of cultural humility and an expanded understanding of health.
2. Inequities in Indigenous Child Health Care
CBC News. (2017, October 27). Health Canada ordered to pay for First Nations children’s health care. CBC. https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/health-canada-ruling-children-1.4368393
Annotation:
The article assists to explain the systemic inequities in Indigenous child healthcare and their federal responsibility, and also the policy failures which have occurred and continue to occur. This humanises the gaps that I have identified in my practice and gives me a glimpse into the lives of these children. It reminds me of the importance of fair access to diagnostics and treatment and therefore solidifies my commitment to equity focused practice and culturally safe, evidence-based care.
3. News Resource: Addressing Racism in Health Care
CBC News. (2016, August 10). Alika Lafontaine on bias and racism in health care. CBC. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/alika-lafontaine-bias-racism-health-care-1.3722120
Annotation:
This news article featuring Dr. Alika Lafontaine is an excellent discussion of the systemic racism that exists within Canadian health care and the need for cultural safety. Reading it made me reflect on my professional accountability, the impact of unconscious bias on diagnostic accuracy and patient trust, and reaffirmed my commitment to a culturally safe, equity-based practice.
Government and Policy Resources:
1. Government Resource: Truth and Reconciliation in Health
Government of Canada. (2023). Truth and Reconciliation Commission: Calls to Action—Health. https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1524499024614/1557512659251
Annotation:
This official resource outlines the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action specific to health. It provides a national roadmap for the delivery of equitable care, and it informs my ethical practice as a health professional committed to reconciliation and accountability in the Canadian health system.
2. Research Report: Indigenous Health Data and Equity
National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health. (2019, October). Access to health services as a social determinant of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis health [Fact sheet]. National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health. https://www.nccih.ca/495/Access_to_health_services_as_a_social_determinant_of_First_Nations,_Inuit_and_M%C3%A9tis_health.nccih?id=279
Annotation:
This evidence-based fact sheet presents data on the barriers Indigenous peoples face when accessing care across Canada. It allows me to frame laboratory results in the context of social determinants of health and health system accessibility, while also connecting clinical findings with the upstream factors that shape patient outcomes and equity.
3. Government Report: Equity, Inclusion, Diversity, and Anti-Racism in Ontario Health
Ontario Health. (2024, September). Equity, inclusion, diversity & anti‑racism: Highlights 2023–2024 [Annual report]. https://www.ontariohealth.ca/content/dam/ontariohealth/documents/eidar-report-2023-24.pdf
Annotation:
This report details Ontario Health’s strategies for embedding equity, inclusion, diversity, and anti-racism in healthcare delivery. It emphasizes systemic challenges faced by Indigenous and other marginalized populations, informing the MLT’s role in supporting equitable and culturally safe diagnostic practices.
4. COVID-19 Diagnostic Delays in Black Canadians
Olanlesi-Aliu, A., Kemei, J., Alaazi, D., Tunde-Byass, M., Renzaho, A., Sekyi-Out, A., Mullings, D. V., Osei-Tutu, K., & Salami, B. (2024). COVID-19 among Black people in Canada: A scoping review. Health Promotion & Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada, 44(3), 112–125. https://doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.44.3.05
Annotation:
This scoping review highlights disparities in diagnostic testing delays for Black Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides insight into systemic inequities in laboratory services, which parallels challenges faced by Indigenous populations and underscores the importance of timely, standardized testing for equity-seeking groups.
Research Reviews:
1. Social Determinants and Indigenous Health in Canada
Statistics Canada. (2024). Health care access and experiences among Indigenous people, 2024. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/241104/dq241104a-eng.htm
Annotation:
This fact sheet provides national data on Indigenous health access and experiences, including discrimination and barriers to care. It allows MLTs to interpret laboratory results within the broader social context and helps identify population-level disparities that may influence patient outcomes.
Summary
Collectively, these resources offer a multidimensional perspective on Indigenous health in Canada, spanning biomedical research, lived experiences, media accounts, government policies, and equity-focused frameworks. For MLTs, this body of work reinforces the connection between laboratory data and the social determinants of health, highlighting the importance of cultural humility, standardized workflows, and ethical accountability. By integrating these insights into daily practice, laboratory professionals can support timely, equitable, and culturally safe care, ensuring that diagnostic results are interpreted within the appropriate context. Furthermore, these resources underscore the necessity for interdisciplinary collaboration to address systemic barriers and improve health outcomes for Indigenous and other marginalized populations.