Health Service Needs for Urban Indigenous Women with Co-Occurring Health Concerns

Addressing inequities in health service access and utilization among Indigenous Peoples is complex, especially for urban Indigenous women with co-occurring health conditions and addiction issues. Services for co-occurring health conditions are compartmentalized and disjointed. Urban Indigenous women are particularly at risk of falling through the cracks of the service system. With this in mind, we designed a study that would provide information about how best to provide services to urban Indigenous women with multiple health challenges. The paper reports from the first phase of the study which involved interviews with service providers and decision makers. Data were collected through in-depth interviews. All the key stakeholders expressed the view that services for co-occurring health needs should be based on Indigenous women’s understandings of culturally safe and responsive care. The results suggest that services for co-occurring health concerns must begin with ensuring Indigenous women’s safety. Women who experience safe health services are more likely to feel empowered throughout the process of their healing journey. The lack of safety in health services can be considered as a key factor in Indigenous Canadians’ inequitable access to health services.