# Transform[ing] heart failure professionals with Indigenous land-based cultural safety in Ontario, Canada

## TL;DR

A land-based learning program in Ontario improved cultural safety knowledge among healthcare professionals working with Indigenous communities.

## Contribution

The study introduces a novel land-based cultural safety training approach for healthcare professionals in Indigenous contexts.

## Key findings

- Participants showed increased knowledge of Indigenous histories and practices.
- There was a reported increase in self-reflection and intention to create change.
- Relationships with the land were strengthened through the program.

## Abstract

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death worldwide, with disproportionate impacts on Indigenous Peoples in Canada. In Spring 2022, a land-based learning program was piloted and evaluated as an Indigenous cultural safety training for professionals at a cardiac care centre and university in a large urban city. Baseline and endline surveys showed an increase in knowledge of Indigenous histories, cultures, and practices; increased reflection on positionality and intention to create change; and strengthened relationships with the land. Future work should explore the long-term effects of land-based cultural safety training on participant behaviours, and health outcomes for Indigenous Peoples.