Communicating Environmental Health Risks with Indigenous Populations: A Systematic Literature Review of Current Research and Recommendations for Future Studies

Abstract

Indigenous populations are recognized as a group who are potentially vulnerable to environmental health hazards due to their intimate relationship with and reliance on local environments for aspects of culture, health, and well-being. In many circumstances barriers to effective communication and health risk management are linked to cultural, economic, and geographic factors. A systematic literature review was conducted to consolidate peer-reviewed research on the communication of environmental health risks with Indigenous populations. The comprehensive literature review procedures included searching databases and key journals that represented various fields in communication, environmental health, and Indigenous studies. The review yielded a total of 4,469 potential articles and a total of 13 of these manuscripts met the inclusion criteria. The 13 articles were analyzed to identify lessons learned for effective risk communication. Factors that influence successful risk communication strategies with Indigenous populations on this topic include: (1) developing messages that are congruent with the populations' cultural beliefs and understanding of the environment; (2) including Indigenous populations in message design and delivery; (3) using credible and trustworthy spokespeople in message delivery; (4) identifying and utilizing effective communication materials and channels; and (5) ensuring that messages are understandable to the target audience. Gaps in the literature include the lack of longitudinal studies that empirically measure changes in perception, awareness and behavior, as well as a general lack of theory-based research. Results from this review provide directions for future work to help guide the development of more effective health risk communication research and strategies with Indigenous populations.