Understanding from within : Understanding from within : research findings and Native Women's Association of Canada's contributions to Canada's National Population health Study on Neurological Conditions (NPHSNC)

"In 2010 the Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC) was successful in obtaining funding through the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) to undertake a three-year research project entitled Understanding from Within: Developing community driven and culturally relevant models for understanding and responding to neurological conditions among Aboriginal peoples (UFW). ... The goal of the UFW research project was to develop a better understanding of how Aboriginal peoples conceptualize neurological conditions and the impacts on their families and communities, and the resources and supports needed to provide culturally safe and appropriate care. The research was qualitative in nature and used an Indigenous Research Methodologies (IRM) approach to guide the design, collection of data, and analysis of the research. ... Major themes and sub themes emerged in the research, along with a series of recommendations intended to improve relations between the medical community and Aboriginal peoples, and to promote the importance of Aboriginal control of health care services. Throughout this study it became apparent that more research is needed. ... Further examination of the UFW research data and the application of a culturally relevant gender based analysis will highlight more clearly how Aboriginal women experience multi-layered impacts, and how those impacts are magnified due to socio-economic status, the interactions of co-morbidities with their neurological conditions, and elevated risk factors such as those associated with alcohol and drug abuse, and violence against Aboriginal women"--page 5.