Decolonization and Health Systems: A Scoping Review

Coloniality continues to define knowledge, culture, relationships and health outcomes for Indigenous peoples around the world. Health systems are shaped by coloniality, influencing access to health care and the quality of care. Decolonization, although pluralistic in understanding, provides a theoretical foundation for health system transformation. The aim of this scoping review was to explore what is known about decolonization, Indigenous health, and equity in publicly funded health systems, and to identify gaps in existing literature.

This research is grounded in an Indigenous methodology and positioning, providing a critical structural analytical framework. Scoping review methods developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute and PRISMA-ScR were situated within a Kaupapa Māori framework to identify decolonization approaches and characteristics in publicly funded health systems within Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia and Canada. Data sources included four databases and an Aotearoa New Zealand-focused gray literature search.

Sixteen texts were included with more than three-quarters published between 2019 and 2021. The majority of approaches were at the level of the system or health professional and exploratory in nature. Implementation and outcome measurement were scarce. Characteristics of decolonization in health systems were categorized as Addressing Coloniality, Transformation, Relationships and Indigeneity.

This review provides a novel synthesis of decolonization in the context of publicly funded health systems, identifying an emergent research area, and disconnect between theory and practice. Decolonization provides a rights-based intersectional framework that is distinct from alternative approaches, unique in its ambition to address power imbalance and see structural transformation. Misalignment between ideological positioning of decolonial theory and governments may limit the opportunity for implementation within publicly funded health systems. Research, implementation and evaluation of decolonization approaches is needed to expand knowledge, influence future public policy and see structural transformation of health systems to support Indigenous well-being and health equity.