Title : Strengthening traditional healing systems through implementation research in northwestern Ontario, Canada
Abstract:
Traditional healing systems have been systematically attacked by settlers through processes and structures of settler colonialism which intentionally target Indigenous peoples’ governance, social, cultural, health and economic structures to eliminate Indigenous peoples and their ways of thinking and doing. Traditional healing has survived these attacks however there is a need to strengthen these systems. Implementation Science focuses on the study of methods and strategies to facilitate effective and regular uptake of evidence-based practice and research. This presentation introduces and discusses the research approach for The Waasegiizhig Nanaandawe'iyewigamig Mino-Bimaadiziwin Project: Cancer Prevention through Traditional Healing project which seeks to implement strategies to increase access to traditional healing and strengthen traditional healing infrastructure and capacity in the Kenora region of Northwestern Ontario. The project worked with Traditional healers and an Indigenous health access centre who partnered together to implement 1) a 4-year plant medicine camp to teach plant medicine to local Indigenous community members, and 2) traditional healing clinics at the health access centre to treat a variety of chronic and non-chronic diseases. Research methods included active participation by members of the research team, monthly team implementation meetings held with the healers and the health access centre, interviews with medicine camp participants and traditional healing clinic patients, and administrative health data usage.
