Academic Journal
View in EDS

Racism in Inuit experiences in healthcare: findings from an environmental scan.

Bibliographic Details
Title: Racism in Inuit experiences in healthcare: findings from an environmental scan.
Authors: Toor JSK; University College London, London, UK., Lavoie JG; University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
Source: International journal of circumpolar health [Int J Circumpolar Health] 2026 Dec 31; Vol. 85 (1), pp. 2726014. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Sep 08.
Publication Type: Journal Article; Review
Language: English
Journal Info: Publisher: Taylor & Francis Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 9713056 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 2242-3982 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 12399736 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Int J Circumpolar Health Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Publication: 2016- : Philadelphia, PA : Taylor & Francis
Original Publication: Oulu, Finland : International Union for Circumpolar Health and the Nordic Society of Arctic Medicine, [1997-
MeSH Terms: Healthcare Disparities*/ethnology , Inuit*/psychology , Racism*, Humans ; Arctic Regions ; Canada ; Health Services Accessibility ; Health Services, Indigenous
Abstract: While the category of "race" has no scientific foundation, race and subsequent racism continue to be determinants of access to health for Indigenous communities globally, including for Inuit in Canada. This scan raised concerns from community members voicing racial inequities in healthcare. The aim of this review was to scan Canadian Inuit experiences of racism in healthcare. To date, no such work has been done, and contemporary Inuit experiences of racism in the healthcare context have not been systematically documented. We hope that this review will serve as a foundation for scholars, policy makers and/or Inuit-community-based organisations to engage with this issue further. We conducted an environmental scan from 2000 to 2024 of peer-reviewed and grey literature to explore Canadian Inuit experiences of racism in healthcare. Our scan identified 16 sources. We analysed sources using the following: systemic or interpersonal racism, and then distinguishing if racism was explicitly mentioned or inferred by the authors. We found medical evacuation, women's health issues, cancer care and postoperative outcomes to be places where racism in healthcare has been documented. Overall, we hope that this review draws much-needed attention to this issue and contributes to the imagination of a new way of practice.
References: J Epidemiol Community Health. 2012 Apr;66(4):328-33. (PMID: 21051777)
Int J Circumpolar Health. 2025 Dec;84(1):2438429. (PMID: 39689265)
Birth. 2023 Dec;50(4):781-788. (PMID: 37192171)
Int J Circumpolar Health. 2023 Dec;82(1):2253604. (PMID: 37677103)
BMC Health Serv Res. 2020 Jun 11;20(1):529. (PMID: 32527254)
Am J Community Psychol. 2011 Dec;48(3-4):426-38. (PMID: 21387118)
Accid Emerg Nurs. 2006 Apr;14(2):97-103. (PMID: 16554157)
BMJ Open. 2019 Sep 6;9(9):e029805. (PMID: 31494613)
J Epidemiol Glob Health. 2019 Jun;9(2):89-92. (PMID: 31241864)
Int J Circumpolar Health. 2013 Aug 05;72:. (PMID: 23984305)
Int J Circumpolar Health. 2010 Feb;69(1):38-49. (PMID: 20167155)
Int J Circumpolar Health. 2025 Dec 31;84(1):2576994. (PMID: 41199472)
Med J Aust. 2005 Mar 21;182(6):277-80. (PMID: 15777142)
J Telemed Telecare. 2024 Oct;30(9):1398-1416. (PMID: 36911983)
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 May 25;20(11):. (PMID: 37297560)
Int J Circumpolar Health. 2020 Dec;79(1):1766319. (PMID: 32449489)
Int J Circumpolar Health. 2019 Jan-Dec;78(2):1554174. (PMID: 31066652)
Int J Circumpolar Health. 2021 Dec;80(1):1949843. (PMID: 34219604)
Lancet Oncol. 2008 Sep;9(9):892-900. (PMID: 18760245)
Qual Health Res. 2022 Jul;32(8-9):1259-1272. (PMID: 35621363)
Am J Public Health. 2012 Jun;102 Suppl 3:S375-82. (PMID: 22690974)
CMAJ. 2023 Aug 28;195(33):E1097-E1111. (PMID: 37640405)
CMAJ Open. 2022 May 3;10(2):E304-E312. (PMID: 35504694)
Can J Public Health. 2018 Dec;109(5-6):662-670. (PMID: 30302729)
Paediatr Child Health. 2020 May 02;26(2):e78-e81. (PMID: 33747314)
Int J Circumpolar Health. 2022 Dec;81(1):2071410. (PMID: 35491889)
Front Public Health. 2021 Mar 12;9:604668. (PMID: 33777879)
J Natl Med Assoc. 2005 Apr;97(4):527-34. (PMID: 15868772)
Lancet. 2021 Sep 4;398(10303):825-826. (PMID: 34454689)
Int J Equity Health. 2021 Jul 14;20(1):164. (PMID: 34261500)
Anthropol Med. 2021 Jun;28(2):156-171. (PMID: 34169780)
CMAJ. 2023 Jun 26;195(25):E880-E882. (PMID: 37364910)
Int J Circumpolar Health. 2016 Jan 12;75:29787. (PMID: 26765259)
CMAJ. 2019 Jul 29;191(30):E845-E846. (PMID: 31358603)
Health Rep. 2019 Dec 18;30(12):3-10. (PMID: 31851367)
Can Fam Physician. 2019 Aug;65(8):e363-e369. (PMID: 31413042)
Int J Circumpolar Health. 2019 Jan-Dec;78(2):1508321. (PMID: 31066655)
BMJ Open. 2021 Nov 10;11(11):e050284. (PMID: 34758992)
Qual Health Res. 2018 Oct;28(12):1858-1870. (PMID: 30095039)
BMC Health Serv Res. 2021 Apr 13;21(1):328. (PMID: 33845810)
Int J Circumpolar Health. 2012 May 15;71:18581. (PMID: 22663938)
BMC Health Serv Res. 2023 Mar 29;23(1):303. (PMID: 36991410)
Soc Sci Med. 2019 Oct;238:112495. (PMID: 31465937)
Int J Circumpolar Health. 2022 Dec;81(1):2055728. (PMID: 35451927)
BMJ Glob Health. 2021 Jun;6(6):. (PMID: 34127443)
Contributed Indexing: Keywords: Canada; Healthcare; Indigenous; Inuit; Racism
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20260908 Date Completed: 20260908 Latest Revision: 20260911
Update Code: 20260911
PubMed Central ID: PMC13556113
DOI: 10.1080/22423982.2026.2726014
PMID: 42710001
Database: MEDLINE
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: https://resolver.ebsco.com/c/fiv2js/result?sid=EBSCO:cmedm&genre=article&issn=22423982&ISBN=&volume=85&issue=1&date=20261231&spage=2726014&pages=2726014&title=International journal of circumpolar health&atitle=Racism%20in%20Inuit%20experiences%20in%20healthcare%3A%20findings%20from%20an%20environmental%20scan.&aulast=Toor%20JSK&id=DOI:10.1080/22423982.2026.2726014
    Name: Full Text Finder (for New FTF UI) (ns324271)
    Category: fullText
    Text: Full Text Finder
    MouseOverText: Full Text Finder
Header DbId: cmedm
DbLabel: MEDLINE
An: 42710001
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Racism in Inuit experiences in healthcare: findings from an environmental scan.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Toor+JSK%22">Toor JSK</searchLink>; University College London, London, UK.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Lavoie+JG%22">Lavoie JG</searchLink>; University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%229713056%22">International journal of circumpolar health</searchLink> [Int J Circumpolar Health] 2026 Dec 31; Vol. 85 (1), pp. 2726014. <i>Date of Electronic Publication: </i>2026 Sep 08.
– Name: TypePub
  Label: Publication Type
  Group: TypPub
  Data: Journal Article; Review
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Journal Info
  Group: Src
  Data: <i>Publisher: </i><searchLink fieldCode="PB" term="%22Taylor+%26+Francis%22">Taylor & Francis </searchLink><i>Country of Publication: </i>United States <i>NLM ID: </i>9713056 <i>Publication Model: </i>Print-Electronic <i>Cited Medium: </i>Internet <i>ISSN: </i>2242-3982 (Electronic) <i>Linking ISSN: </i><searchLink fieldCode="IS" term="%2212399736%22">12399736 </searchLink><i>NLM ISO Abbreviation: </i>Int J Circumpolar Health <i>Subsets: </i>MEDLINE
– Name: PublisherInfo
  Label: Imprint Name(s)
  Group: PubInfo
  Data: <i>Publication</i>: 2016- : Philadelphia, PA : Taylor & Francis<br /><i>Original Publication</i>: Oulu, Finland : International Union for Circumpolar Health and the Nordic Society of Arctic Medicine, [1997-
– Name: SubjectMESH
  Label: MeSH Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Healthcare+Disparities%22">Healthcare Disparities*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Healthcare+Disparities+ethnology%22">ethnology</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Inuit%22">Inuit*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Inuit+psychology%22">psychology</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Racism%22">Racism*</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Humans%22">Humans</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Arctic+Regions%22">Arctic Regions</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Canada%22">Canada</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Health+Services+Accessibility%22">Health Services Accessibility</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Health+Services%2C+Indigenous%22">Health Services, Indigenous</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: While the category of "race" has no scientific foundation, race and subsequent racism continue to be determinants of access to health for Indigenous communities globally, including for Inuit in Canada. This scan raised concerns from community members voicing racial inequities in healthcare. The aim of this review was to scan Canadian Inuit experiences of racism in healthcare. To date, no such work has been done, and contemporary Inuit experiences of racism in the healthcare context have not been systematically documented. We hope that this review will serve as a foundation for scholars, policy makers and/or Inuit-community-based organisations to engage with this issue further. We conducted an environmental scan from 2000 to 2024 of peer-reviewed and grey literature to explore Canadian Inuit experiences of racism in healthcare. Our scan identified 16 sources. We analysed sources using the following: systemic or interpersonal racism, and then distinguishing if racism was explicitly mentioned or inferred by the authors. We found medical evacuation, women's health issues, cancer care and postoperative outcomes to be places where racism in healthcare has been documented. Overall, we hope that this review draws much-needed attention to this issue and contributes to the imagination of a new way of practice.
– Name: Ref
  Label: References
  Group: RefInfo
  Data: J Epidemiol Community Health. 2012 Apr;66(4):328-33. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2221051777%22">21051777)</searchLink><br />Int J Circumpolar Health. 2025 Dec;84(1):2438429. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2239689265%22">39689265)</searchLink><br />Birth. 2023 Dec;50(4):781-788. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2237192171%22">37192171)</searchLink><br />Int J Circumpolar Health. 2023 Dec;82(1):2253604. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2237677103%22">37677103)</searchLink><br />BMC Health Serv Res. 2020 Jun 11;20(1):529. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2232527254%22">32527254)</searchLink><br />Am J Community Psychol. 2011 Dec;48(3-4):426-38. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2221387118%22">21387118)</searchLink><br />Accid Emerg Nurs. 2006 Apr;14(2):97-103. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2216554157%22">16554157)</searchLink><br />BMJ Open. 2019 Sep 6;9(9):e029805. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2231494613%22">31494613)</searchLink><br />J Epidemiol Glob Health. 2019 Jun;9(2):89-92. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2231241864%22">31241864)</searchLink><br />Int J Circumpolar Health. 2013 Aug 05;72:. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2223984305%22">23984305)</searchLink><br />Int J Circumpolar Health. 2010 Feb;69(1):38-49. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2220167155%22">20167155)</searchLink><br />Int J Circumpolar Health. 2025 Dec 31;84(1):2576994. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2241199472%22">41199472)</searchLink><br />Med J Aust. 2005 Mar 21;182(6):277-80. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2215777142%22">15777142)</searchLink><br />J Telemed Telecare. 2024 Oct;30(9):1398-1416. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2236911983%22">36911983)</searchLink><br />Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 May 25;20(11):. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2237297560%22">37297560)</searchLink><br />Int J Circumpolar Health. 2020 Dec;79(1):1766319. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2232449489%22">32449489)</searchLink><br />Int J Circumpolar Health. 2019 Jan-Dec;78(2):1554174. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2231066652%22">31066652)</searchLink><br />Int J Circumpolar Health. 2021 Dec;80(1):1949843. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2234219604%22">34219604)</searchLink><br />Lancet Oncol. 2008 Sep;9(9):892-900. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2218760245%22">18760245)</searchLink><br />Qual Health Res. 2022 Jul;32(8-9):1259-1272. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2235621363%22">35621363)</searchLink><br />Am J Public Health. 2012 Jun;102 Suppl 3:S375-82. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2222690974%22">22690974)</searchLink><br />CMAJ. 2023 Aug 28;195(33):E1097-E1111. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2237640405%22">37640405)</searchLink><br />CMAJ Open. 2022 May 3;10(2):E304-E312. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2235504694%22">35504694)</searchLink><br />Can J Public Health. 2018 Dec;109(5-6):662-670. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2230302729%22">30302729)</searchLink><br />Paediatr Child Health. 2020 May 02;26(2):e78-e81. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2233747314%22">33747314)</searchLink><br />Int J Circumpolar Health. 2022 Dec;81(1):2071410. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2235491889%22">35491889)</searchLink><br />Front Public Health. 2021 Mar 12;9:604668. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2233777879%22">33777879)</searchLink><br />J Natl Med Assoc. 2005 Apr;97(4):527-34. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2215868772%22">15868772)</searchLink><br />Lancet. 2021 Sep 4;398(10303):825-826. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2234454689%22">34454689)</searchLink><br />Int J Equity Health. 2021 Jul 14;20(1):164. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2234261500%22">34261500)</searchLink><br />Anthropol Med. 2021 Jun;28(2):156-171. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2234169780%22">34169780)</searchLink><br />CMAJ. 2023 Jun 26;195(25):E880-E882. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2237364910%22">37364910)</searchLink><br />Int J Circumpolar Health. 2016 Jan 12;75:29787. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2226765259%22">26765259)</searchLink><br />CMAJ. 2019 Jul 29;191(30):E845-E846. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2231358603%22">31358603)</searchLink><br />Health Rep. 2019 Dec 18;30(12):3-10. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2231851367%22">31851367)</searchLink><br />Can Fam Physician. 2019 Aug;65(8):e363-e369. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2231413042%22">31413042)</searchLink><br />Int J Circumpolar Health. 2019 Jan-Dec;78(2):1508321. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2231066655%22">31066655)</searchLink><br />BMJ Open. 2021 Nov 10;11(11):e050284. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2234758992%22">34758992)</searchLink><br />Qual Health Res. 2018 Oct;28(12):1858-1870. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2230095039%22">30095039)</searchLink><br />BMC Health Serv Res. 2021 Apr 13;21(1):328. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2233845810%22">33845810)</searchLink><br />Int J Circumpolar Health. 2012 May 15;71:18581. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2222663938%22">22663938)</searchLink><br />BMC Health Serv Res. 2023 Mar 29;23(1):303. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2236991410%22">36991410)</searchLink><br />Soc Sci Med. 2019 Oct;238:112495. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2231465937%22">31465937)</searchLink><br />Int J Circumpolar Health. 2022 Dec;81(1):2055728. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2235451927%22">35451927)</searchLink><br />BMJ Glob Health. 2021 Jun;6(6):. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2234127443%22">34127443)</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectMinor
  Label: Contributed Indexing
  Group:
  Data: <i>Keywords: </i>Canada; Healthcare; Indigenous; Inuit; Racism
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date(s)
  Group: Date
  Data: <i>Date Created: </i>20260908 <i>Date Completed: </i>20260908 <i>Latest Revision: </i>20260911
– Name: DateUpdate
  Label: Update Code
  Group: Date
  Data: 20260911
– Name: PubmedCentralID
  Label: PubMed Central ID
  Group: ID
  Data: PMC13556113
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1080/22423982.2026.2726014
– Name: AN
  Label: PMID
  Group: ID
  Data: 42710001
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=cmedm&AN=42710001
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/22423982.2026.2726014
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        StartPage: 2726014
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Humans
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Arctic Regions
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Canada
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Health Services Accessibility
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Health Services, Indigenous
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Healthcare Disparities ethnology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Inuit psychology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Racism
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Racism in Inuit experiences in healthcare: findings from an environmental scan.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Toor JSK
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Lavoie JG
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 31
              M: 12
              Text: 2026 Dec 31
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 2242-3982
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 85
            – Type: issue
              Value: 1
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: International journal of circumpolar health
              Type: main
ResultId 1