Indigenous Peoples Of Canada Bear A Disproportionate...

Purpose: Indigenous peoples in Canada bear a disproportionate hepatitis C disease burden. This project used a decolonizing and community-driven approach to give voice to First Peoples with lived hepatitis C experience in developing a research agenda to address hepatitis C amongst First Nations, Inuit and MÃ ©tis peoples. The purpose of this project is to develop and inform a larger exploratory study concerning the unique lived experience of First Nations, Inuit and MÃ ©tis peoples living with hepatitis C. The study aimed to elucidate and explore culturally resonant approaches for Indigenous peoples across Canada in a wholistic care cascade for this population. The specific objectives of this study were as follows: (1) a rapid review of the hepatitis C literature employing an Indigenous lens; (2) a series of sharing circles of Indigenous peoples with lived hepatitis C experiences (3) analysis of sharing circle discourse by the research team and Community Research Associates; (4) a series of validation exercises with key informants to increase robustness and enrich findings; (5) team-building and multi-directional capacity strengthening; and (6) development a larger community-based operating grant application for future research funding consideration. I performed the foundational aspects of this project, including the scoping review, sharing circle planning and initial qualitative analysis. The activities within this study also align with strong recommendations from Indigenous