Health care caries targets Aboriginal patients

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Tackling fear of 20th century medicine and its practitioners is the goal of a unique series of videos on health care.

Narrated in Aboriginal languages, the six 10-to-15 minute productions deal with issues ranging from registering in a hospital to medical testing and women's health. The producers, Paskwayak Productions in a joint venture with the Opaskwayak Cree Nation, believe the videos will help people deal with fears and mistrust they may have when dealing with the health care system.

Bill Kadachuk said the intention of the series is to introduce patients to the technology they may experience during their hospital stay in the larger centres.

"This way they know what to expect and the technology is not thrown at them when they arrive at the centre," he said.

Kadachuk is with the Paskwayak Business Development Corporation and is the liaison for Paskwayak Productions.

The first video in the series is directed at adults. This video explains the functions and activities of large urban hospitals. It takes the patient through the process of being admitted along with explaining some of the rules of operation.

The second video is geared especially toward children. In simple, non-threatening language the roles of staff members and their jobs are described, to help children understand who is who in hospitals. This video will come with instructional aids for health care staff, parents and teachers, said Kadachuk.

The third video will be directed at Aboriginal women dealing with obstetrical-gynecological surgery, from pre-operative preparation to post-operative convalescence.

The fourth video explains many of the most common hospital and medical tests. These include, but are not restricted to, blood tests, X-rays, CAT scans, dialysis and many others.

The fifth video addresses diabetes and its development in relation to diet and lifestyle, right through to effective methods of treatment and management.

The last is a cross cultural awareness video directed at health care and community workers. This video will deal with understanding the cultural and ethnic differences that create fear and suspicion in many Aboriginal patients.

Kadachuk says these videos will help even the most timid of patients, including the ones that speak only their mother tongue.

"Each of these videos will be introduced by an Elder from their respective culture, in that person's language, showing that there is nothing to fear there and that the patient does have rights when they are going to the hospital.

"There is a lot of emphasis placed on, by Aboriginal people, nature and the natural way of healing. Now, if we had health care professionals sensitive to that concept then I think there would be better communication between both parties," Kadachuk said.

The first video to be released will be a marketing video, which will introduce the series to prospective customers.

"Our main target will be Health and Welfare Canada and Medical Services and through them, we hope to be able to sell a series of tapes to every hospital in Canada," Kadachuk said.

The video balances images of traditional Aboriginal healing practices and modern medicine. The video includes interviews with politicians, doctors, Elders, community workers, and of course, the patients themselves.