Xpey' Relational Environments: an analytic framework for conceptualizing Indigenous health equity

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Equity Research
• Indigenous Health Research

Background:

• Health equity and Indigenous health research share goals but often lack collaboration.
• Indigenous populations are underrepresented in health equity research despite significant health disparities.
• The Xpey' Relational Environments framework is presented to address these gaps.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and test the Xpey' Relational Environments analytic framework.
• To integrate Indigenous methodologies into health equity research.
• To identify determinants of Indigenous health within public health systems.

Main Methods:

• The Equity Lens in Public Health (ELPH) research program adopted the Xpey' framework.
• An Indigenized health equity lens was applied to research methodology.
• A pilot case study in British Columbia involved policy review and interviews.

Main Results:

• The Xpey' framework facilitated the identification of social, structural, and systemic determinants of Indigenous health.
• Application of the framework provided insights into health equity within a regional health authority.
• The study demonstrated the framework's utility in exploring Indigenous health equity.

Conclusions:

• The ELPH program's use of Xpey' Relational Environments exemplifies its value in public health.
• The framework aids in understanding and addressing Indigenous health equity in British Columbia.
• Future research should embed the Xpey' framework within Indigenous research methodologies.