Research summary
Indigenous Peoples in Canada fare more poorly than their non-Indigenous counterparts on most measures of health and social well-being. As Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples’ Health and Well-Being, Dr. Debbie Martin is trying to change this by focusing on community-initiated and directed, holistic, preventative, action-oriented research.
To nurture momentum in community-led Indigenous health research, she and her research team are creating a training platform, launching a co-mentorship model for the Atlantic Indigenous Mentorship Network, advancing relational research ethics and data sovereignty, improving Indigenous research grant administration, and assessing how ready institutions are to enact principles of Indigenous research. To contribute to a resurgence in the health and well-being among Inuit in Labrador, they are also advancing energy autonomy and enhancing Indigenous self-determination and identity. Ultimately, they hope to improve Indigenous health in Atlantic Canada and beyond using approaches that respect and value diverse ways of knowing.