Indigenous-led research calls for urgent, practical action for culturally safer care
Lheidli T’enneh/Prince George, BC – A newly published peer-reviewed study highlights widespread anti-Indigenous racism faced by Indigenous peoples seeking care in rural health systems across British Columbia, underscoring the urgent need for change. The article “‘We’re racially profiled as drunk Indians’: Experiences of Indigenous rural British Columbians accessing health care”—was published last week in the Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine.
The research, led by Dr. Terri Aldred, a Dakelh (Carrier) family physician and Indigenous health advocate, draws on extensive data collected through the Rural Coordination Centre of BC’s Rural Site Visits Project. Over 380 interviews and focus groups were conducted with Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants across 107 rural BC communities, reflecting deep engagement and rigorous, community-informed research methods, including Indigenous co-leadership and ethical oversight.
Participants described frequent encounters with systemic, interpersonal, and epistemic racism. Experiences ranged from being racially profiled and dismissed as “drunk Indians,” to critical health issues being overlooked or untreated, resulting in preventable harm, mistrust, and fear of seeking care.
“These experiences aren’t isolated incidents; they reflect a harmful pattern,” says Dr. Aldred. “Providers often perceive care delivery as equitable, but Indigenous community members consistently describe a reality shaped by discrimination and neglect. Bridging this gap requires immediate action and humility.”
Community-led solutions were central to the study, highlighting practical innovations to foster culturally safe care, including embedding Indigenous patient liaisons, involving traditional healers, trauma-informed care, and prioritizing relationship-building. The article introduces a practical framework known as the “5Rs”—Respect, Relevance, Reciprocity, Responsibility, and Relationship—to guide healthcare providers toward culturally safer practices.
“Indigenous communities articulated clearly what culturally safe care looks like,” says Dr. Aldred. “Health systems and providers must listen deeply and implement these community-driven solutions. This is not just about improving care—it’s a fundamental part of reconciliation and healing.”
The full article is available open access from the Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine:
For media inquiries, contact:
Rebecca Connop Price, Communications Officer, Rural Coordination Centre of BC
T: 604-558-7650 (direct) E: [email protected]
Heiko Decosas, Communications Lead, Rural Coordination Centre of BC
T: 778-558-6192 (direct) E: [email protected]
About the Rural Coordination Centre of BC
Led by rural doctors, the Rural Coordination Centre of BC (RCCbc) is a network that works to improve the health of people and their communities in rural BC. Funded primarily by the Joint Standing Committee on Rural Issues, our network partners include healthcare providers and administrators, community members, policymakers, educators, researchers, and non-profit and business leaders. We serve all rural, remote and Indigenous communities in BC covered by the Rural Practice Subsidiary Agreement.
