A conference at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon on Friday stressed the importance of engaging communities in Aboriginal health research.
The conference was co-hosted by the U of S, First Nations University of Canada, Indigenous Peoples’ Health Research Centre and the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation.
Donna Lerat, who works in HIV health promotion with the Prince Albert Métis Women’s Association, says researchers need to be sensitive when entering Aboriginal communities.
“Some of the language, ‘I’m coming to help you people,’ we’ve been getting that patriarchical thinking for many, many years.”
A number of presentations were given on ethics, research methods and protocols when researching health issues in Aboriginal communities.
The conference concluded Friday afternoon.