05/26/2026
What happens in an emergency room does not stay there.
Our most recent paper in Social Science & Medicine shares the experiences of First Nations patients, families, and communities navigating emergency health care in Alberta. Through sharing circles and community-led research, participants described experiences of racism, dismissal, exclusion from care, and the lasting emotional impacts these encounters can carry for individuals, families, and entire Nations.
The research challenges us to think differently about health care systems, not only in terms of medical outcomes, but also in terms of dignity, trust, belonging, and the long-term well-being of communities.
This work was guided by Elders, grounded in Indigenous research approaches, and conducted in partnership with First Nations organizations across Treaties 6, 7, and 8.
Read the study here:https://afnigc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Emergency-department-encounters-impacts-on-First-Nations-members-families-and-communities.pdf
