Category Archives: MODULE 2

Link to article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5764719/

This review describes how access to health care has been a significant challenge for Indigenous people in Saskatchewan, specifically in northern rural communities.

There have been pilot projects implemented and one of them is the use of Remote Presence Robotic Technology (RPRT) as a form of telemedicine. It provides a sense that a health care practitioner is by the patient’s side and enables health care delivery in real time. There are other piloted projects that have successfully used digital technology to close the gap in access of health care delivery through modalities such as robotic ultrasonography for prenatal care, using cell phones for HIV positive patients to improve compliance with anti-retroviral therapy and using technology to aid in better analysis of lab samples.

These have shown to enhance access delivery but also provide comfort to patients. Since a lot of these communities are quite remote, it prevents unnecessary transportation for these communities away from their families.

This video developed by Northern Health BC highlights information shared by women from the Tsimshian, Tahltan, Haisla, Gitxsan, and Nisǥa’a nations. In this video they share their cultural practices around birth and how these impact their health care needs.

The women explain that around birth, they often want family members present to be involved in traditional ceremonies. There are even certain practices that are important to these women such as cord cutting, examining the baby as soon as they are born, saving the placenta and so on. There is a notion that a lot of these practices are often not discussed in advance with health care practitioners. It’s important that these practices are discussed in advance so there is a partnership between these women and health care delivery. I will examine how technology can perhaps close this gap, specifically around rural communities.

http://www.perinatalservicesbc.ca/Documents/Resources/SystemPlanning/Rural/SafetyRuralMaternityServicesWithoutLocalAccessCsection_2015.pdf

This is an applied policy research review asking the question “What is the relative safety of rural maternity health services without local access to caesarean section?”. I chose this research article to further understand the gaps in health care delivery that Indigenous women (especially in rural areas) experience.

Some key takeaways from this study that are required:

1.Skilled and confident maternity care providers with an understanding of the contextual realities of supporting childbirth in a low-resource setting;
2. Local maternity services must correspond to population need. Where higher resourced maternity services can be sustained, primary maternity without surgical support is not a replacement.
3. The primacy of birth for families, communities and the health system, where birth is the most common reason for hospitalization
4. That patient centred care means a health system that matches both the health needs and values of the people using the system
5. That risk and safety each have many definitions and perspectives, all of which must be considered when optimizing health system outcomes.

Louis Riel School Division in Winnipeg, Manitoba developed an immersive Minecraft experience called Manito Ahbee Aki. Manito Ahbee Aki focuses on opportunities to learn about Anishinaabe Peoples through a combination of three learning experiences.  First, students will be able to explore The Forks, which is a historic gathering place for the Anishinaabe people. Secondly, students will have the ability to learn about the Manitoba petroforms. Through in-game storytelling, the students will learn the history and stories behind the rock formations. Lastly, students partake in a buffalo hunt and learn about the importance of food sovereignty.

This experience highlights how technology can be incorporated with a relevant tool familiar to many students to teach local Indigenous history.  A downfall of the tool is that it relies on the student to be passively engaged within the game walking through and interacting with the world.  I believe that it would have been a powerful learning tool to see the students create an interactive world.

https://education.minecraft.net/en-us/blog/explore-indigenous-history-and-culture-with-manito-ahbee-aki

https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/anishinaabe-culture-school-minecraft-manitoba-1.5903746

This article that talks about the #Sealfie movement demonstrates some commonality to the Makah Whale Hunt, where the western or colonial gaze is used upon Indigenous cultures and traditions, drawing on hate and anger from Non-Indigenous people.

https://psmag.com/environment/sealfie-vs-selfie-one-year-later-ellen-degeneres-and-the-clubbing-of-seals

Ellen DeGeneres targeted by #sealfie campaign

Here is a teenager who sends a message to Ellen Degeneres about the challenges that Indigenous people suffer  due to Degeneres’ message about seal hunting.

The Sealfie movement and this YouTube video demonstrates how Indigenous people are using the internet and social media to educate people about their traditions and cultures, as well, too advocate for their rights.

While many non-Indigenous youths are dropping social media like Facebook and Instagram because their family are on it and able to see their activity, this very reason is why Indigenous people are increasingly using social media; to stay connected with their community and share their culture (Carlson, 2017).

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/apr/27/why-are-indigenous-people-such-avid-users-of-social-media