HomeHealth care workers providing services on Indigenous lands and/or working with Indigenous Peoples to do tuberculosis-related work should:
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educate themselves about the epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB) in the community, recognizing that the community’s historical relationship with TB will contextualize present day TB care;
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understand the geography and climate of Indigenous communities, including that many Indigenous communities facing high rates of TB are isolated and not linked by roads to urban centers, with the result that healthcare is less accessible and the diagnosis and treatment of TB potentially delayed;
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acknowledge the Indigenous territory that one is occupying; work toward understanding and practicing cultural safety by self-reflection on power differentials and respecting cultural differences, including language; and incorporate cultural values to promote a safe and inclusive environment;
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recognize the specific social determinants of health affecting distinct Indigenous groups, with the aim of delivering quality TB care and closing the health equity gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians;
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acknowledge the role of on-going colonization, personal and systemic racism, and privilege as they relate to health equity in TB care delivery, and take steps to prevent their harmful effects;
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promote self-resilience, self-advocacy and empowerment by respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples as outlined in the Patients’ Charter of TB care and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; and
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understand that each Indigenous group — First Nations, Inuit and Métis — is historically and culturally distinct and may, therefore, have unique TB needs.
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