Indigenous Health Research Monitoring, March 2026
Inside you will find six short summaries of articles indicating their relevance to public health work. Click the title to access the full article.
Lifestyles
The effects of the Red River Jig on the wholistic health of adults in Saskatchewan
The Red River Jig emerged during the fur trade era, bringing together Métis, Europeans and First Nations by strengthening their social and commercial networks. Dancing the Jig is a physical activity rooted in culture. This Canadian study examines the effects of an eight-week Red River Jig course on the overall health of a sample group that included Métis participants. The authors measured cultural identity and affiliation, social support, mental wellbeing, health and physical fitness from a Métis health perspective. Increased leg strength was one effect observed after the course.
Physical literacy refers to the motivation, confidence, physical abilities and knowledge required to be physically active. While an understanding of physical literacy can serve to design interventions aimed at promoting physical activity, the phenomenon has rarely been studied among the elderly, especially in Indigenous populations. This international review aims to correct that shortcoming. The authors point to the importance of holistic and intergenerational perspectives, collective wellbeing and respect for Indigenous knowledge and practices pertaining to physical activity.
The practice of sharing country food is an integral part of Inuit culture and may contribute to the food security of many households. The authors interviewed hunters and fishers in Nunavut concerning the obstacles they face and investigated their employment situation, expenses and the frequency of their trips onto the land. Purchase cost, maintenance and fuel for their vehicles represent substantial expenses that not all can afford, thereby limiting the number of outings and impacting sharing practices.
Childhood and adolescence
Mental health and suicide prevention services struggle to reach Inuit young people despite the urgent need. Canadian researchers conducted a participatory study on that population. Information about services (their nature and availability) was nonexistent or did not reach young people. Others were uncomfortable in talking about their distress to strangers in a second language. The few participants who sought out services reported pressure to speak. These results confirm the relevance of allowing young people to speak about their own experiences and providing services adapted to their needs.
In many Indigenous communities around the world, childcare is a responsibility shared with the extended family, including grandparents. This retrospective Australian study demonstrates the importance of fostering healthy aging as a support for child health. The authors linked medico-administrative data (such as hospitalizations and deaths) for a cohort of more than 29,000 children with that of their grandparents. Children born with grandparents in good health were less likely to die before the age of five than those whose grandparents were not in good health.
Education is one determinant of health that can influence others, such as income and access to resources, which in turn drives social inequalities in health. It can also impact the level of psychological resources, including resilience, defined as the ability to maintain wellbeing in the face of adversity. In this strengths-based study, school engagement—a positive attitude toward school—is compared with resilience, and its impact on dealing with bullying is examined. Given that Indigenous adolescents face widespread bullying, encouraging school engagement is just one course of action to support the health of young people.