Racism against aboriginal people in health-care system 'pervasive': study

MichelleLabrecquepushes herself gingerly in a wheelchairdown the hallway of a hotel. TheOneida woman was recently found to have a fractured pelvis,but she says it took three trips tothe hospital and increasing pain before she received that diagnosis.

"The third time, I was just left in the ER room, not being able to walk anywhere. Nobody aroundto help me, not even to a wheelchair," saysLabrecque.

She felt abandoned, she says, becauseshes native.

It wasn't her first bad experience at Victorias Royal Jubilee Hospital. In 2008, she soughtmedication for what she describes as severe stomach pain. She discussed the pain with a doctor,as well as her struggles with alcohol and finding a home.

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The doctor wrote her aprescription, and told her she was good to go.When she got home, she discovered all the doctor had scribbled on the prescription form was acrude drawing of a beer bottle, circledwith a slash through it.

"It just blew my mind, what they put on it. It's discriminating against natives, I'm pretty sure,"says Labrecque. She complained to the hospital, who told her the doctor was disciplined, thoughshe never found out what happened to him.

'Unconscious, pro-white bias'

A new study suggests racism against aboriginal people in the health-care system is "pervasive"and a major factor in substandard health amongnative people in Canada.

The study called First Peoples, Second Class Treatmentwas released today by the Wellesley Institute,which researches public health issues.

"It bothers me that people think it's OK to pretend we don't have these issues in our ownbackyard," says Dr. Janet Smylie, a Mtis doctor and lead author of the study.

The study says well-documented disparities in aboriginal and non-aboriginal health are rooted incolonial government policies, such as segregation and Indian residential schools.

ButSmyliesays negative stereotypes about aboriginal people and an "unconscious, pro-white bias" amonghealth-care workers continue to harm aboriginal health.

"Within the health-care context, unfortunately, the kind of unintentional implicit associationswhich lead to differential treatment are alive and well."

The study suggests aboriginal people experience racism from health-care workers so frequentlythat they often strategize on how to deal with it before visiting emergency departments, or avoidcare altogether.

Avoidance strategies based on racism

That was the case for Carol McFadden. The 53-year old Oneida woman, living in Victoria,admits she's wary of the health-care systemafter witnessing her brother experiencediscrimination from doctors and nurses when he was ill.

"When you're sick, you're at your most vulnerable. You need somebody there to help you staveoff those horrible comments, those horrible looks," says McFadden.

A few years back, a lump in her breast that was long ago diagnosed as a plugged milk duct started to feel unusual. When she visiteda clinic, she says, the doctor told her she could check out mammography on her own, and neednthave come in.

This fall, McFadden returned to a hospital, to learn she had stage 4 breast cancer.She's now undergoing chemotherapy, but the cancer has spread to her liver.

If I'm somebody with white skin,if I'm somebody that looks like their auntie, their grandmother,I don't believe they would treat me that way.Carol McFadden

Some doctors have been compassionate, she says, but others have been rude kicking her bedwhen they want her attention, or asking if she drinks or does drugs. She hasnt had any alcoholfor two decades.

"You go to a clinic, and they dont treat you as a human being. You're somebody that's wastingtheir valuable time, that they could be spending on somebody more deserving of the health-caresystem," says McFadden.

"If I'm somebody with white skin if I'm somebody that looks liketheir relative, their auntie, their grandmother I don't believe they would treat me that way."

Indigenous health solutions

In the study, Smylie recommends several solutions for dealing with racism in the health-caresystem, including more aboriginal health-care workers and "cultural safety" training for non-aboriginal health-care workers.

She also recommends aboriginal-specific health treatmentprograms.

Staff at St. Pauls Hospital in Vancouver say the recently created "Sacred Space" room has madea huge difference for aboriginal patients, by incorporating traditional healing into what many feelis a daunting hospital setting.

"Having this room here says We welcome you, we welcome your family, we welcome yourjourney to healing and were here to help you in any way possible," says Carol Kellman, theaboriginal nurse practice leader at St. Pauls.

Patients and staff join together weekly for talking circles, and traditional healers are welcomed toconduct aboriginal ceremonies.

James Raven, a 44-year old Cree man who is HIV positive, says the Sacred Space roomtransformed his healing journey. Hevisits the hospital at least once a weekto get treatment forhepatitis C treatment that now includes traditional aboriginal medicine.

"This space saved my life," says Raven. He points appreciatively at the healers who sit besidehim in the circle. "I feel if it wasnt for Creator and these people here today, I would be pushingup daisies. And thats a fact."