RATIONALE AND BACKGROUND

Public Health authorities have begun a national roll-out of two COVID-19 vaccinations (Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19; Moderna COVID-19) to prioritized populations, including segments of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities. Despite the prioritization of Indigenous people, there may be barriers to the uptake of COVID -19 vaccinations across our communities for numerous complex and context-specific reasons.  One of the barriers identified by our communities and by service providers, decision-makers, Elders and Knowledge Keepers is a lack of culturally safe and relevant educational materials about vaccination. It is critical to address this need urgently due to the rising rates of covid within some of our communities as well as the ongoing barriers related to a lack of  cultural safety in the healthcare system.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

This project aims to build on other community-led and allied initiatives that share the goal of advancing access to quality and safe healthcare services for our communities and meeting the needs of those who are systemically marginalized. Specifically, this project aims to provide timely, accurate, trauma-informed, and culturally relevant information about medical concepts related to available COVID-19 vaccinations with the explicit aim of empowering informed consent and decision making of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples living in urban and related homelands.

The Centre for Wise Practices in Indigenous Health (CWP-IH) in partnership with Indigenous Primary Health Care Council (IPHCC), Anishnawbe Health Toronto (AHT) and The University Health Network, Indigenous Health (UHN) and Shkaabe Makwa (CAMH) will develop public-facing and community-centered informational resources/ tools (i.e., video blogs and infographics) tailored for First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities. Using a strength-based, relatable approach that resonates, this initiative will provide accessible resources that recognize and respect Indigenous worldview(s), rooted in upholding principles and standards of Indigenous knowledge translation through oral storytelling; sharing traditional knowledge(s) and healing practices that can build immunity with western biomedical scientific information and acknowledging traumatic experiences in healthcare.

KEY DESIGN PRINCIPLES & OBJECTIVES (“FIRESIDE” CHAT VLOGS & INFOGRAPHICS)

• Design information products and tools that use plain language while ensuring that materials are culturally and contextually relevant for First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples living in urban and related homelands
• Highlight additional resources related to available COVID-19 vaccinations, beyond the scope of this initiative, aligned with the key project objectives and overarching commitments
• Adopt a variety of methods to deliver messaging (e.g., social media, websites, radio, print, videos) to ensure communication is accessible and reaches as many people as possible
• Draw on personal experiential narratives from First Nations, Inuit and Métis storytelling practices to explain statistical, western biomedical and public health information specific to COVID-19 transmission, spread and prevention
• Bring facts to life and model behaviour(s)/values of:
  • kind honesty, integrity, humility, wisdom, love, respect, relevance, responsibility, reciprocity, courage, bravery
• Use decolonial approach and framework to situate and unpack the concept of “vaccine hesitancy”, address the relationship between biomedicine and traditional knowledge and medicine, and explain COVID-19 vaccinations

FOCUS OF MESSAGING: CIRCULATING AROUND MENTAL, EMOTIONAL, SPIRITUAL & PHYSICAL WELLBEING

All Research: harnessing community and peer-reviewed evidence (updated daily) and regulatory recommendations from the Centre for Effective Practice.

• How COVID-19 vaccinations work:
  • Ingredients and allergies.
  • Possible side effects.
  • Where to get vaccinations.
  • Differences between vaccines.
  • How are they administered.
  • Who are they currently available for.
• Intersections between biomedicine and traditional knowledge and medicine:
  • Complimentary practices.
  • The relationship between biomedical definitions of health and culturally situated definitions of wellbeing.
  • Drawing from both systems of knowledge.
• What is "vaccine hesitancy?":
  • How might it be related to colonial histories and ongoing experiences of anti-Indigenous racism?
  • Define the various underlying factors for vaccine hesitancy generally and for First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples specifically
  • Examine how colonialism, racism and mistrust challenge vaccine uptake amongst First Nations, Inuit and Métis populations, which directly impacts their health and health outcomes.
• Keeping the Family/Central Fire Safe:
  • Vaccine safety. 
  • Pregnancy and vaccination.

FIRESIDE CHATS

Confirmed First Nations, Inuit and Métis Healthcare Professionals, Traditional Practitioners & Trusted Community Members: