Paving a path to inclusion

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Public Health
• Indigenous Studies

Background:

• Canadian Aboriginal Peoples face a legacy of colonial deprivations.
• A cultural discord exists between Aboriginal worldviews and dominant Canadian neo-liberal culture.
• Single mothers are recognized as a vulnerable population facing disadvantage.

Purpose of the Study:

• To understand social exclusion among Saskatchewan Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal single mothers.
• To identify specific domains of disadvantage affecting these groups.
• To compare social aspects of life between Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal single mothers.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative, cross-sectional study.
• Self-administered surveys of randomly selected single mothers (ages 18-59) in Saskatchewan.
• Exploratory factor analysis to identify domains of disadvantage.

Main Results:

• Two significant factors (domains of disadvantage) were identified, explaining substantial variance in both Aboriginal (43%) and Non-Aboriginal (47%) samples.
• A striking similarity was observed in how disadvantage variables clustered within both groups.
• These findings highlight shared experiences of exclusion despite distinct cultural backgrounds.

Conclusions:

• The study identified similar domains of disadvantage impacting both Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal single mothers in Saskatchewan.
• Further research is needed to explore the causal relationship between social inclusion initiatives and health/well-being outcomes.
• Understanding these shared patterns can inform targeted interventions to enhance social inclusion.