Help bring back the celebration of life: a community-based participatory study of rural Aboriginal women's maternity experiences and outcomes.
BACKGROUND
Despite clear evidence regarding how social determinants of health and structural inequities shape health, Aboriginal women's birth outcomes are not adequately understood as arising from the historical, economic and social circumstances of their lives. The purpose of this study was to understand rural Aboriginal women's experiences of maternity care and factors shaping those experiences.


METHODS
Aboriginal women from the Nuxalk, Haida and 'Namgis First Nations and academics from the University of British Columbia in nursing, medicine and counselling psychology used ethnographic methods within a participatory action research framework. We interviewed over 100 women, and involved additional community members through interviews and community meetings. Data were analyzed within each community and across communities.


RESULTS
Most participants described distressing experiences during pregnancy and birthing as they grappled with diminishing local maternity care choices, racism and challenging economic circumstances. Rural Aboriginal women's birthing experiences are shaped by the intersections among rural circumstances, the effects of historical and ongoing colonization, and concurrent efforts toward self-determination and more vibrant cultures and communities.


CONCLUSIONS
Women's experiences and birth outcomes could be significantly improved if health care providers learned about and accounted for Aboriginal people's varied encounters with historical and ongoing colonization that unequivocally shapes health and health care. Practitioners who better understand Aboriginal women's birth outcomes in context can better care in every interaction, particularly by enhancing women's power, choice, and control over their experiences. Efforts to improve maternity care that account for the social and historical production of health inequities are crucial.
University of British Columbia School of Nursing, T149 - 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B5, Canada. colleen.varcoe@nursing.ubc.ca
Colleen
C
Varcoe
Helen
H
Brown
Betty
B
Calam
Thelma
T
Harvey
Miranda
M
Tallio
D000328:Adult; D001955:British Columbia; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D036801:Parturition / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000208:ethnology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D063505:Racism / Q000208:ethnology*; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D012424:Rural Population