Addressing Health Inequities Through Indigenous Involvement in Health-Policy Discourses

Abstract

Although the health of Indigenous peoples is affected by structural inequities, interventions to address health inequities are often focused locally rather than at a structural level where they could play a transformative role. Addressing structural health inequities by involving Indigenous peoples in health-policy discourses can serve to address power imbalances that are implicit in policy-making processes. Using an analytical framework based on interdisciplinary perspectives rooted in critical and decolonizing approaches, the author presents a discussion of theoretical considerations for including Indigenous peoples in policy discourses as a means of addressing health inequities. She argues that the involvement of Indigenous peoples in health-policy discourses has the potential to mitigate epistemological colonialism, push forward an agenda of decolonization, and address health inequities caused by inequitable systems of power. The article concludes with suggestions for future research and implications for nursing and health professionals of addressing structural inequities through attention to policy discourses.