Indigenous Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review of the Literature and Gendered Analysis of Métis Experiences
Creators: Adesunkanmi, Maryam
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2023

<p>The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the mental health of the global population. Indigenous Peoples have been disproportionately affected by previous pandemics and already face an increased vulnerability to poor mental health outcomes due to the damaging and enduring effects of colonialism. However, the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Indigenous groups is not well known. This thesis aimed to improve the understanding of mental health outcomes among Indigenous Peoples during the pandemic by synthesizing the available literature on this topic and evaluating mental health outcomes among Métis People living in Alberta during the pandemic. A scoping review was conducted to assess the scope and characteristics of the existing literature regarding the mental health outcomes of Indigenous Peoples in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the USA during the COVID-19 pandemic and identify research gaps. The review revealed that the mental health of Indigenous Peoples was adversely affected by the pandemic, with higher rates of poor self-rated mental health, depression, anxiety, psychological distress, alcohol/drug misuse, and suicidality. Additionally, the review highlighted studies examining sex/gender differences in mental health outcomes among Indigenous Peoples in Australia, Canada, and the USA. The limited literature focusing on specific Indigenous groups and gender-diverse differences underscored an important gap in research. To bridge this gap, a secondary analysis of a three-waves survey, (Misi Yehewin) conducted among Métis People in Alberta during the COVID-19 pandemic served as the basis of the third chapter of this thesis. The primary objective of the secondary survey analysis was to evaluate the prevalence rates of depression, anxiety and stress symptoms among Métis People living in Alberta during the COVID-19 pandemic. A secondary objective was to identify factors mediating the relationship between gender and mental health among Métis People during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study included Métis adults, aged 16 and older, citizens of the Métis Nation of Alberta, who completed at least one of the three surveys. The findings revealed that the prevalence rates of depression, stress and anxiety symptoms was higher in Métis women (43%, 36% and 71% respectively) than in Métis men (38%, 26%, and 60% respectively). Women with depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms in the study sample were more likely to be within the lowest income tertile, have a college or university degree, live in a urban settings and were less likely to be in a relationship or married compared to men with the same symptoms. After adjusting for confounders, various social factors significantly mediated the relationship between gender and mental health outcomes. Specifically, income, educational attainment, relationship status, alcohol/drug misuse, experiences of discrimination, and chronic health conditions mediated the relationship between depression, anxiety, and stress to varying degrees. Results from this thesis can be used to identify pandemic-related mental health challenges faced by Indigenous Peoples in countries with similar colonial histories and inform the design of tailored interventions targeted at the unique challenges encountered by Métis women during the COVID-19 pandemic. </p>