Abstract
People hold health conceptions that are shaped by their environments. In Canada, these ideas and subsequent research approaches are often developed further through academic training. Current public health perspectives and approaches are largely focused on Western worldviews of health. I share my reflections on my environments, and continued journey as a student in academia that led me to question the current standard of teaching uniform health perspectives. Fostering a singular-worldview learning environment translate to future scholars missing opportunities to learn promising discourses – such as strength-based approaches – that may be more effective in application, including in Indigenous health research. I suggest ways in which environments that foster the appreciation and comprehension of diverse health perspectives can be built.
Highlights
Before entering post-secondary and studying health science, students hold conceptions of health that are shaped by their environments
Before I entered a Master of Science program in public health, I was working in a holistic health and education program for youth within my northern Canadian First Nation community
I became cognizant that most of my former non-Indigenous colleagues were very excited to learn from our community, because – as they expressed – there were few opportunities to learn about Indigenous health approaches during their schooling
Summary
Most would agree that our health conceptions are constructed through our environments and experiences from an early age. In Canada, we typically learn about health through our family, school, communal, recreational, and work environments. We take these environments of experiential learning for granted. Before I entered a Master of Science program in public health, I was working in a holistic health and education program for youth within my northern Canadian First Nation community. Indigenous health approaches emphasize a balance of spiritual, mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing of the individual, family, community, and environment [2, 3]. Puzzled as to why the highest level of learning would not adequately teach Indigenous health perspectives and wondered how this translated into approaches to health research
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