Episode 17: Indigenous Perspectives in Healthcare: Insights from Dr. Alexandra King and Dr. Malcolm King

Dr. Alexandra King is a member of the Nipissing First Nation (Ontario). She is an Internal Medicine specialist, the inaugural Cameco chair in Indigenous Health and Wellness at the University of Saskatchewan, and co-lead of Pewaseskawn (the Indigenous Wellness Research Group). Dr. Alexandra King’s work supports Indigenous communities in improving health and wellness outcomes by understanding the needs of the communities she works with and the structural changes necessary to improve health outcomes.

Dr. Malcolm King, a member of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (Ontario), is a health researcher at the University of Saskatchewan and Scientific Director of the Saskatchewan Centre for Patient-Oriented Research. Dr. King’s areas of interest include respiratory health concerns among Indigenous peoples, the intersection of education and health, health service delivery to vulnerable populations, and airborne disease transmission and chronic obstructive lung disease.

Together, they explore the innovative approaches to Indigenous health and wellness through the creation of the Mitewekwan project ᒥᑌᐍᑲᐣ (Cree meaning “the spirit behind the heartbeat”), which integrates Indigenous perspectives into cardiovascular and brain health research networks on the contextualization and adaption needed for culturally safe and responsive research and care.

This conversation emphasizes the importance of Indigenous perspectives in research, community engagement, and the social and cultural determinants of health. They examine their roles in reshaping health research to prioritize Indigenous voices and experiences, aiming to improve health outcomes for Indigenous peoples while also benefiting broader communities.

To learn more about Pewaseskwan, visit their website here.

For more information on the Mitewekwan, click here.