Indigenous Health and Medicine

Abstract

This article focuses on the health and well-being of Indigenous peoples and is divided into six sections. In the first section, we provide an overview of the geographic distribution and demographic characteristics of the world's Indigenous population. In the next section, we discuss Indigenous concepts of health, paying particular attention to similarities in concepts of health among Indigenous peoples. The third section describes current patterns of Indigenous health, and emphasizes the gaps in rates of morbidity and mortality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations. This section also discusses Indigenous determinants of health, including the ongoing effects of colonialism. The subsequent section highlights access to contemporary and traditional healing practices. In the penultimate section, we discuss the potential important roles of space and place in shaping the health and well-being of Indigenous peoples. The final section outlines important areas of future research, particularly community-based research, which gives voice to the concerns and methods of Indigenous peoples.