“It's a whole package…all part of your body and mind, your soul”: Experiences and Knowledge of Mental Wellness Among Urban Indigenous Elders in the Southern Interior of British Columbia
Date
2018-09-21
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Abstract
Indigenous peoples in Canada experience higher rates of adverse health outcomes due to historical and contemporary colonialism. In conjunction with a Community Advisory Committee, this research project explored knowledge and experiences of mental wellness among urban Indigenous Elders in the Southern Interior of British Columbia. This project used a qualitative methodology, including traditional and modified sharing circles and individual interviews for data collection. The resulting transcripts were thematically analyzed. Internal validity was established using member checking. Five themes were identified, including: holistic wellness; poor mental wellness outcomes; determinants of mental wellness; the healing journey; and, services and supports. A self-reflection chapter provides insight on the project from the student’s perspective. The research findings are located within the existing academic literature, and the unique ways urban Indigenous Elders experience mental wellness are discussed. Implications of the findings are provided for healthcare systems, cultural safety, policy makers, inter-sectoral collaboration, and future research.
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Indigenous wellness, Mental wellness, Elders, Urban communities, Qualitative methodologies, Postcolonial paradigm, Cultural safety
Citation
Schill, K. (2018). “It's a whole package…all part of your body and mind, your soul”: Experiences and Knowledge of Mental Wellness Among Urban Indigenous Elders in the Southern Interior of British Columbia (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/33083