Social support, material circumstance and health behaviour: Influences on health in First Nation and Inuit communities of Canada

An expansive literature describes the links between social support and health. Though the bulk of this evidence emphasizes the health-enhancing effect of social support, certain aspects can have negative consequences for health (e.g., social obligations). In the Canadian context, the geographically small and socially interconnected nature of First Nation and Inuit communities provides a unique example through which to explore this relationship. Despite reportedly high levels of social support, many First Nation and Inuit communities endure broad social problems, thereby leading us to question the assumption that social support is primarily health protective. We draw from narrative analysis of interviews with 26 First Nation and Inuit Community Health Representatives to critically examine the health and social support relationship, and the social structures through which social support influences health. Findings indicate that there are health-enhancing and health-damaging properties of the health-social support relationship, and that the negative dimensions can significantly outweigh the positive ones. Social support operates at different structural levels, beginning with the individual and extending toward family and community. These social structures are important as they reinforce an individual's sense of belonging, however, these high-density networks can also exert conformity pressures and social obligations that promote health-damaging behaviours such as domestic violence and smoking. The poor material circumstances that characterize so many First Nation and Inuit communities add another layer of complexity as limited resources can trap individuals within the confines of their immediate social contexts. Research and policy interventions must pay close attention to the social context within which social support, health behaviours and material circumstances interact to influence health outcomes among First Nation and Inuit communities.Social support Narrative analysis Canada First Nation and Inuit health Indigenous groups Health behaviours

Social Support and Thriving Health: A New Approach to Understanding the Health of Indigenous Canadians

Objectives. We examined the importance of social support in promoting thriving health among indigenous Canadians, a disadvantaged population

Renewable Energy and Energy Autonomy: How Indigenous Peoples in Canada are Shaping an Energy Future.

In 2015, the Liberal Party of Canada formed a majority federal government on a platform that included prioritizing Nation-to-Nation relationships with Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and MĂŠtis) peoples in the country and re-asserting global leadership in climate change action by moving away from fossil fuel-based extraction and toward renewable energy initiatives. It may be argued that addressing both of these issues, advancing Indigenous-Settler reconciliation and mitigating climate change, can be done in the same space. Indeed, though Indigenous peoples in Canada and elsewhere have recently moved forward with renewable energy initiatives within their Territories, there has been very little critical analysis on just how such projects have been operationalized and whether renewable energy can or even should be considered a vehicle for reconciliation efforts. In this paper, we present a systematic review of Canadian literature (spanning 1980 to 2017) concerning Indigenous peoplesâ involvement in renewable energy in order to better understand the stated motivations and desires of Indigenous peoples in Canada taking leadership, partnering in, and/or participating in the renewable energy sector. Using a series of keyword search strings across three academic databases, two theses databases, and a grey literature search, we retrieved literature (n=980) that was subjected to four exclusionary forms, then thematically analyzed the included literature (n=26). Our findings suggest Indigenous peoplesâ experiences and motivations are varied, yet many are developing renewable energy in their Territories to break free of colonial ties and move towards energy autonomy, establish more reliable energy systems, and reap the long-term financial benefits that clean energy can provide. Despite the apparent advantages seen throughout most of the literature reviewed here, we suggest further research in this area is necessary before this kind of positive rhetoric of renewable energy in Indigenous communities builds enough momentum that proponents become blind to possible shortcomings. We conclude with a broader discussion of the interactions between Indigenous-Settler reconciliation in the context of renewable energy projects as well as offering indicators for future research to fill current knowledge gaps.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author