How does settler colonialism contribute to perpetuating health care inequity? Reflections on complicity and praxis

In settler colonised countries such as Australia and New Zealand, health disparities including life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples persist. These disparities include healthcare, education and research and continue to be shaped by settler colonialism within these systems. An International Consensus Statement regarding educating for Indigenous health equity, outlines colonisation, privilege and racism as crucial curricula components. In order to prepare a culturally safe health workforce, an educator workforce that can effectively deliver curriculum that prepares students to challenge dominant paradigms is required. Educators and researchers need to undertake deep critical self-examination to understand the influences of settler colonialism within their teaching practice and the systems they working within.
The aim of this presentation is to explore and discuss settler colonialism and how ongoing impacts of settler colonialism in health professional education can contribute to ongoing health inequity. This presentation will describe examples of complicity and identify strategies to enable educators to understand their own position in relation to settler colonialism.