Research Proposal On Impact Of Overmedication Among First

Impact of Overmedication among First Nations Men on the Cultural Revitalization of Indigenous Communities in British Columbia
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Impact of Overmedication among First Nations Men on the Cultural Revitalization of Indigenous Communities in British Columbia
The research involves identifying how overmedicating First Nations Men in British Columbia has affected the cultural revitalization of the aboriginal people living in these indigenous communities. For several years, indigenous people living in British Columbia have undergone social challenges, among them cultural growth. Although their social conditions can vary depending on their classification, level of income, and place of residence, these groups are widely underrepresented in the justice system, hence making it difficult for them to obtain equal rights. Culture plays a significant role in influencing social conditions. It enables individuals to learn and maintain a strong ethnic distinction. A majority of indigenous people living in British Columbia, Canada continue to participate in their traditional activities, which include trapping, hunting, and gathering. Nonetheless, the cultural understanding of wellbeing among First Nations has greatly impacted their health. A majority of First Nation individuals are known to misuse prescription drugs. Their use of non-prescription medication has also been associated with impoverished health conditions among the aboriginals (Health Canada, 2011). There have been several types of research that dwell on the impact of social conditions on the welfare of indigenous people. Also, most of the research reveals the impact of discrimination on drug abuse and overmedication among aboriginals. However, the influence of overmedication among First Nations People on a cultural revitalization remains unexplored. Investigating this matter will help in understanding the factors that lead to overmedication among First Nations and develop means of preventing overmedication while ensuring that the strategies do not hinder the indigenous people from practicing their culture.
The reason for gaining an interest in this topic is because the cultural and spiritual values of indigenous people play a vital role in the nations in which they occupy. Thus, they should be equally respected as playing an equally important role in society. However, since they face continuous threats and discrimination, they lack sufficient alternatives to protect themselves and their traditions. By researching the First Nation People of British Colombia, this research can help individuals to appreciate the fact that our world is multicultural.
Literature Review
The rich history of wellness among aboriginal individuals dates back thousands of years. The lifestyle adopted by indigenous people involved hunting and gathering food as well as traditional medicine. The traditional diet consumed by the indigenous people also contributed to their well-being before their colonization, which resulted in a change in wellness and health practices. The overuse of medication is common among individuals throughout the world. However, the ongoing legacy of colonization can be considered the main reason for overmedication among First Nations Men. According to Sullivan (2012), colonization and oppression resulted in the loss of indigenous language and culture, which caused intergenerational trauma among a significant number of First Nations People, and eventually influenced their well-being and health. The introduction of western medicine contradicts the indigenous ways of treatment, which relies on natural herbs and traditional diets. As a result, more indigenous youth and men are engaging in overuse of medications rather than using the drugs as prescribed. According to Webster (2012), a greater number of youths aged 12-17 years are at a greater risk of abusing prescription drugs. The types of medications that are mostly abused by individuals include stimulants, pain relievers, and sedatives.
Additionally, Veenstra (2009) indicates that the health status of a majority of First Nation individuals is considerably poorer than that of other Canadian populations. Such conditions can be associated with forceful removal from their homelands and relocation to reserves that have inadequate services (Brussoni, George, Jin, Lalonde & McCormick, 2016). Also, the First Nation Men have a higher chance of contracting chronic diseases such as asthma, diabetes, and high blood pressure (First Nations Information Governance Center, 2011). The trauma faced by these individuals also leads to mental issues, which makes it difficult for the First Nations Men to determine whether they have physical or emotional pain. As a result, the First Nations Men overuse their medications, trying to treat a condition that might not be physical, but emotional (Hopkins & Dumont, 2010). Despite the lack of sufficient data regarding the overmedication among First Nations Men in Canada, specifically British Columbia, evidence from the past few years indicates that it is a growing problem. According to research by Dell et al. (2012), data from 1994 indicates that there is an increasing trend in the abuse of prescription drugs among First Nations Men who have access to treatment in Canada. Furthermore, a majority of the First Nations People who are likely to overmedicate do so willingly, especially among the youth.
Nonetheless, an understanding between overmedication and its impact on cultural revitalization also needs to be achieved. There lacks sufficient evidence to explain the association between indigenous people and western medical practices. Based on research, a culturally based understanding of well-being is necessary to understand why the indigenous people overmedicate (Health Canada, 2010). However, these researchers also need to put more focus on the culture of these individuals and how the practice of overmedication can influence the revitalization of their culture. Western ideologies of wellness vary from that of indigenous tribes. Sullivan (2012) explains that how the overuse of western medication affects the prevalence of indigenous culture can be guided by concepts such as cultural relevancy, cultural competency, and cultural safety. These concepts enable service providers to understand the attitudes and views of the indigenous people by becoming more aware of their environments as well as their cultural realities. A majority of the literature concerning indigenous people of Canada is mainly focused on the influence of discrimination and the lack of proper policies to facilitate the growth of their culture. Although research has identified the problem of overmedication among First Nations Men, and the reasons for overmedication, the influence of overmedication on the culture of these individuals is not adequately discussed. This calls for further investigation.
Research Question
The main question that this research seeks to answer is;
How has the cultural revitalization of indigenous communities in rural British Columbia, Canada been impacted by the overmedicating of First Nations Men?
Other important questions will be addressed include;
How has the use of western medication influenced the views of the indigenous people concerning traditional medication?
Do the indigenous people consider Western medication to be more effective that traditional medications?
What challenges if any, do the indigenous people incur when trying to strictly adhere to their traditional practices of health and well-being?
Answering these questions will help to understand the reasons why indigenous people use western medicines rather than traditional herbs. Also, these questions will guide the research further towards understanding the influence of western culture on the indigenous people, to develop ways of effectively revitalizing these cultures.
Research Design
The research design will be qualitative since it allows for easy study of human behavior motivations and opinions. Since the research required gathering information from the indigenous people, this design would be more appropriate. The research requires one on one interactions with the indigenous populations in the rural areas of British Columbia since their views are essential in answering the research questions. Having gathered information from the indigenous community, a hypothesis will then be developed based on the information.
Epistemology
The main source of knowledge for this research is the indigenous communities that reside in the rural areas of British Columbia. This means that the research will rely on tribal epistemology, whereby the results and information gathered will primarily be based on what the First Nations People perceive to be true. In tribal epistemol...