Priorities and actions identified by First Nations, Inuit and Métis to eliminate cervical cancer

First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners identified the following Peoples-specific priorities and actions to address specific inequities that First Nations, Inuit and Métis may experience as a result of historic and ongoing colonization. It is important to note that First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities are already leading efforts to address these longstanding barriers and inequities and improve cervical cancer prevention and care.

Priority 1: Culturally appropriate care closer to home

Actions identified by First Nations, Inuit and Métis:

• Recognize and eliminate the impacts of racism within the health system
• Deliver culturally safe cervical cancer prevention and care
• Establish national guidelines to promote consistent cervical cancer care
• Provide health services closer to home and improve the journey for people who must travel to access cervical cancer prevention and care

Priority 2: Peoples-specific, self-determined cancer care

Actions identified by First Nations:

• Develop cervical cancer prevention and care strategies based on priorities identified by First Nations communities and disparities faced by First Nations
• Improve communication and coordination of health coverage for First Nations
• Use respectful gender and two-spirit inclusive language and inclusivity in cervical cancer prevention and care
• Acknowledge and respect traditional healing and cultural practices

Actions identified by Inuit:

• Implement Inuit-specific and equitable approaches to cervical cancer prevention and care, based on priorities identified by Inuit
• Improve communication and coordination of health coverage for Inuit and service providers
• Use respectful gender-inclusive language and inclusivity in cervical cancer prevention and care

Actions identified by Métis:

• Implement Métis-specific and equitable approaches to cervical cancer prevention and care, based on priorities identified by Métis people
• Identify, implement and coordinate Métis-specific health benefits
• Use respectful gender-inclusive language and inclusivity in cervical cancer prevention and care

Priority 3: First Nations-, Inuit-, or Métis- governed research and data systems

Actions identified by First Nations:

• Identify First Nations-specific cervical cancer prevention and care data that is community-led and community-specific
• Ensure that cervical cancer prevention and care data collection respects OCAP® principles and communities’ consent to data collection and sharing
• Increase First Nations access to health coverage data
• Create safe spaces for voluntary self-identification of First Nation status to collect First Nations-specific cervical cancer prevention and care data
• Use culturally appropriate standards for First Nations-specific cervical cancer prevention and care data collection, aggregation and linkages to other data sets

Actions identified by Inuit:

• Collect Inuit-specific cervical cancer prevention and care data that is accessible and linked to local communities and is in accordance with Inuit research and data principles (including data on school-based HPV immunization uptake, cervical screening participation, screening results, HPV immunization status, and colposcopy, pathology and treatment)
• Improve systematic qualitative and quantitative data collection practices for gathering Inuit-specific cervical cancer prevention and care data
• Conduct Inuit-led research to support effective interventions to prevent, screen and treat cervical cancer

Actions identified by Métis:

• Collect Métis-specific cervical cancer prevention and care data that is accessible and linked to other data sets, and is in accordance with Métis research and data principles (such as OCAS principles)
• Create safe spaces for self-identification to effectively collect Métis-specific cervical cancer prevention and care data
• Use existing structures for Métis-specific cervical cancer prevention and care data collection