Indigenous Health: Residential School System, Health Impact Analysis

This presentation provides a comprehensive overview of the residential school system and its profound impact on the health of Indigenous peoples in Canada. It delves into the historical context, outlining the objectives and policies of these government-sponsored religious schools, established to assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-Canadian culture. The presentation explores the detrimental effects of colonization, assimilation, and racism on Indigenous communities, highlighting how these factors have contributed to various health issues, including mental distress, infectious diseases, and increased mortality rates. It examines the concept of historical trauma, its long-term consequences, and the importance of cultural safety in healthcare. The presentation also discusses the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) recommendations relevant to Indigenous health, offering insights into creating culturally safe environments and incorporating these principles into practice. The conclusion summarizes key learnings and emphasizes the need for the nursing profession to address these issues through a culturally sensitive and trauma-informed approach.

RUNNING HEAD: INDIGENOUS HEALTH 0
RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL SYSTEM

INDIGENOUS HEALTH 1
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Outline.............................................................................................................................................2
Overview of issue............................................................................................................................3
Overview of topic............................................................................................................................3
Colonization, Assimilation and Racism..........................................................................................4
Historical trauma and indigenous people Health.............................................................................4
TRC..................................................................................................................................................5
Recommendations............................................................................................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................6
References........................................................................................................................................7

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Introduction
Residential schools were government-sponsored religious schools established to
assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-Canadian culture (Lines & Jardine, 2019). The
objective of this school is to provide information regarding the ways of living and to induce the
children into Canadian society. This residential school was introduced from the year 1880s, in
these schools children were highly punished for not following the rules and policies (Harris,
Tompkins, & TeHiwi, 2017).
The aim of the report is to understand the residential school system and the policies
which influenced the health of indigenous people who all take education from this school. The
argument describes that colonization influences the health problems of indigenous people and
racism affects educating indigenous children to take education from the residential school
system.
Outline
The outline of the discussion is that the present report will describe the general
information regarding the residential school system and health issues faced by indigenous
people. The discussion will focus on describing the various examples and challenges while
dealing with the topic area. In this discussion overview of the residential school system in
Canada is also discussed, the outline of the report is also to understand the effects of colonization
and racism on the residential school system and on the health of indigenous people. The
estimation also describes that there are also various assimilation policies and framework which
affects the overall health of the children who all take education from the residential school
system for educating themselves regarding the living area for the Canadian society.
The report also concentrates on describing the area which affects the health of the
indigenous people. These areas are to be discussed in the report it is because health issues among
the indigenous people in Canada are increased and there is the various reason which influences
health in the residential school system.

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Overview of issue
The estimation demonstrates that indigenous people in Canada are suffering various
health issues in comparison to the rest of the other population this is due to various reasons.
There are some factors that influence the health problems of indigenous people such as political,
social and various other factors (Pockett & Beddoe, 2017). The estimation also revealed that
health problems are associated through the poorer health which raises the other infectious
diseases among the indigenous people. The analysis also revealed that children in the residential
school system also faced with other mental diseases such as mental distress, depression, anxiety
and suicidal behavior.
The poor health can be because of various other issues which include colonization,
racism it is because of lack of fulfilling the socio-economic conditions which result in increasing
the death rate of indigenous people (Otim, Jayasinha, Kelaher, Houston, Anderson, & Jan,
2015). The estimation demonstrates that in Canada the majority of the indigenous people
suffered from long-term health issues.
Overview of topic
Residential schools include the culture of Aboriginal community across Canada, in these
schools the students get knowledge about Canadian culture. This education is provided because
of loss of understanding about the language; culture etc (Kilcullen, Swinbourne, & Cadet‐James,
2018). The reason is also due to removing the indigenous people through their own families, this
education level increases the knowledge of the children. However, indigenous people suffer from
various health issues through which children are suffered from various infectious diseases.
In these schools the children have to follow several rules that is they have to be properly
dressed in uniform and rules should be strictly followed by the children to avoid punishment
(Donovan & Anwar-McHenry, 2016). This topic is selected because the majority of the
indigenous people is influenced by mental health and emotional well-being this is also because
of the major reason that is residential school attendance. Therefore, this affects the health
outcomes of an indigenous community in a highly negative manner.

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Colonization, Assimilation and Racism
The colonization affects the health of indigenous people in a negative manner it is
because of stripping the land, family and their culture through this the stress among the people
increased and results in increasing obesity, mental illness and raise the death rate of the children.
Therefore, about majority of the children were forced to move from their own families and the
estimation describes that about the majority of the children that is 1,50,000 aboriginal children of
Canada were highly placed in the residential school system of Canada (Greenhalgh, Jackson,
Shaw, & Janamian, 2016). However, through this children were forced to adopt Canadian culture
by affecting their own indigenous culture.
Indigenous people of Canada also suffered from racism and discrimination issues which
is also understand by several reports The estimation describes that in residential school system
number of children were facing death and they does not provide equal treatment this is because
of lack of professional staff, inefficiency in the medication etc (Titmuss, Davis, Brown, &
Maple‐Brown, 2019). The discrimination is the major part which raises the heath issues and
discourages indigenous community to accept their own culture and to get more education about
the culture and framework of Canada. This is designed by the government to teach every student
however, health inequality is increased with time, however, in Canada the majority of the
patients are from the indigenous community.
The assimilation policies were also developed for indigenous that is regulatory removal
of children from their own culture. The other policy is to destruct the overall society of the
indigenous people in Canada (Lines & Jardine, 2019). The policies are also to change the overall
structure and framework in providing education to children which are in the support of the
Canadian society. In the year 2018, it is estimated that about 70% of the children forced to
remove homes by destruction through which the health problems among the will be increased.
Historical trauma and indigenous people Health
There are the various long term effects of historical trauma it is because this leads in
destroying the psychological and mental health of the people (Otim, Jayasinha, Kelaher,
Houston, Anderson, & Jan, 2015). Therefore, due to increase in the health issues the people will
highly suffer from the death, suicide and increase infectious diseases it is because of the increase

INDIGENOUS HEALTH 5
in cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and other infectious problems. The historical trauma is
considered the dangerous mental health which affects the community in a negative manner it is
because the estimation demonstrates that the indigenous community in Canada is suffered from
emotional and psychological injury (Pockett & Beddoe, 2017). This has long term effects
because of removing the children from their families, reducing relationships etc. This results in
increasing depression, stress and anxiety among indigenous people in the residential school
system.
I will consider various principles while working with the indigenous people that is
involving the indigenous people in planning and implementing the services so that equal rights
are provided to the Aboriginal people. I can also listen to the issues and problems face by the
children so that health problems will be identified and their issues will be addressed in a timely
manner.
TRC
The TRC (Truth and Reconciliation Commission) has divided the areas into various
categories, therefore the recommendations which are addressing the present topics include:-
Language and culture –The education to the indigenous people is also provided about their own
culture and knowledge so that all the culture and indigenous community will be respected in
similar manner in Canadian society (Greenhalgh, Jackson, Shaw, & Janamian, 2016).
Health- The equal treatment is provided to the student and indigenous children regarding the
health so that their death rate will be reduced and can decrease the infectious diseases and other
health issues among the indigenous children. The specialization in the treatment leads in
providing quality medications and treatment so that heath issues by the children from the
indigenous community will be reduced (Donovan & Anwar-McHenry, 2016).
Justice- This is also the major policy which is also accepted in the community because of
providing equal rights to the indigenous people so that they can participate in all the activities
and can get equal social and economic factors to the community.

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Recommendations
 The creating the cultural safety leads in maintaining safe and efficient environment for
the Aboriginal community this is done due to providing them the opportunity to the
indigenous people to raise their voice and presence in their rights and policies.
 The cultural safety is provided to all the population that is mainly to the children so that
they can understand their own culture and remain encouraged. Therefore, through these
various cultural norms, principles and overcome the problem of misbalancing of the
policies for making improvements in the rights of indigenous people (Titmuss, Davis,
Brown, & Maple‐Brown, 2019).
 The cultural safety is considered important for the indigenous people it is because of
influencing the well-being of the community in a highly positive manner. Therefore this
leads in increasing the self-knowledge of the children, provide a systemic reflection of
the community and raise evaluation so that healthcare services is provided in an efficient
manner (Kilcullen, Swinbourne, & Cadet‐James, 2018).
Conclusion
From the above, it is concluded that the residential school system is developed by the
government to provide knowledge about Canadian society to indigenous people. Therefore, the
estimation revealed that this leads in increasing health problems among the community. The
colonization and discrimination also influence the health and well-being of the children in a
negative manner it is because of inequalities and other problems. This results in raising historical
trauma among indigenous people that is more depression, stress, etc. Therefore, for this one can
focus on providing cultural safety to the children by developing various norms as well as
principles. The incorporation is done through increasing the practice of developing various
strategies to provide health benefits to indigenous children.

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References
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keeping mentally healthy. Journal of Lifestyle Medicine , 10 (3), 193-199.
Greenhalgh, T., Jackson, C., Shaw, S., & Janamian, T. (2016). Achieving research impact
through co‐creation in community‐based health services: literature review and case study.
The Milbank Quarterly , 94 (2), 392-429.
Harris, S. B., Tompkins, J. W., & TeHiwi, B. (2017). Call to action: a new path for improving
diabetes care for indigenous peoples, a global review. Diabetes research and clinical
practice , 123, 120-133.
Kilcullen, M., Swinbourne, A., & Cadet‐James, Y. (2018). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
health and wellbeing: Social emotional wellbeing and strengths‐based psychology.
Clinical Psychologist , 22 (1), 16-26.
Lines, L.-A., & Jardine, C. G. (2019). Connection to the land as a youth-identified social
determinant of Indigenous Peoples’ health. BMC public health , 19 (1), 176.
Otim, M. E., Jayasinha, R., Kelaher, M., Houston, E. S., Anderson, I. P., & Jan, S. (2015).
Priority setting in Indigenous health: why we need an explicit decision making approach.
The International Indigenous Policy Journal , 6 (3), 8.
Pockett, R., & Beddoe, L. (2017). Social work in health care: An international perspective.
International Social Work , 60 (1), 126-139.
Titmuss, A., Davis, E. A., Brown, A., & Maple‐Brown, L. J. (2019). Emerging diabetes and
metabolic conditions among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. Medical
Journal , 210 (3), 111-113.