The health of Indigenous peoples

In this chapter, the health needs and rights of Indigenous peoples are discussed. This discussion covers current challenges beginning with how indigeneity is defined. Within this context, current data on Indigenous health are described with a critique of how Indigenous health is framed. In an attempt to make sense of global patterns of the health of Indigenous peoples, these data are contextualized within our colonial histories, the legacies of historical and intergenerational trauma, differential access to and through health and social services, differential quality of services received by Indigenous peoples, and the under-representation of Indigenous peoples in the health workforce. The latter part of the chapter outlines important considerations for progress towards health equity for Indigenous peoples, especially the foundational right to self-determination and what this means for Indigenous health, from health services, to interventions, research, and Indigenous knowledge. As the world faces significant new health challenges, Indigenous knowledges and ways of being may offer important insights into managing these challenges.