Relationships to land as a determinant of wellness for Indigenous women, two-spirit, trans, and gender diverse people of reproductive age in Toronto, Canada
This study took a reproductive justice approach to examine the association between relationships to land and
wellness in a study of urban Indigenous women, two-spirit, trans, and gender-diverse people of reproductive age in Toronto, Canada.
Jubinville, D., Smylie, J., Wolfe, S. et al. Relationships to land as a determinant of wellness for Indigenous women, two-spirit, trans, and gender diverse people of reproductive age in Toronto, Canada. Can J Public Health (2022).
Secondary statistical analysis
Directed acyclic graphs (DAGs)
This research project was a community-based research partnership with two Indigenous-led organizations: the Seventh Generation Midwives Toronto (SGMT) and the Well Living House Action Research Centre for Indigenous Infant, Child and Family Health and Well-Being (WLH), which is based at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. Data came from Our Health Counts (OHC) Toronto, an urban Indigenous population health study that the organization had led.This study found a statistically significant positive association between relationships to land and wellness in a sample of urban Indigenous women, two-spirit, trans, and gender diverse people of reproductive age (aged 15–44) living in Toronto, Ontario.
The Our Health Counts study had an advisory council of Indigenous Grandparents and over 20 Indigenous
and allied service providers co-developed the survey.
This study was grounded in a reproductive justice work, and took a strength based approach to explore relationships to land and wellness among urban Indigenous childbearing people in Toronto.
The authors state that the purpose of their research is to advance Indigenous peoples’ goals for reproductive justice. Reproductive events (birth, menarche, pregnancy, postpartum, menopause, and death) are positioned as opportunities for strengthening relationships to land by engaging in cultural practices. Ingenious birth workers play a critical role in attending to these life transitions, and their work should not be constrained, as it is currently, by jurisdictional issues, or barriers to education and funding.
Statistical analysis and directed acyclic graphs (DAGs)
Public health and policy advocacy
“In light of our findings, relational, land-based models of health and care can be seen as a best practice for enhancing Indigenous reproductive health services. Indigenous birthworkers, such as midwives and doulas, advance Indigenous reproductive justice and wellness by promoting connections to land through incorporating language, tradi- tional foods and medicines, ceremonies, and Indigenous values into their services for childbearing people”.
Reproductive justice
Indigenous Health
Urban Indigenous studies