What is Indigenous cultural health and wellbeing? A narrative review

Brett J Biles; Nina Serova; Gavin Stanbrook; Brooke Brady; Jonathan Kingsley; Stephanie M Topp; Aryati Yashadhana

doi:10.1016/j.lanwpc.2024.101220

What is Indigenous cultural health and wellbeing? A narrative review

Lancet Reg Health West Pac. 2024 Nov 10:52:101220. doi: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2024.101220. eCollection 2024 Nov.

Authors

Brett J Biles^{1

2}, Nina Serova^{2

3}, Gavin Stanbrook², Brooke Brady^{4

5

6}, Jonathan Kingsley⁷, Stephanie M Topp^{8

9}, Aryati Yashadhana^{2

3

9}

Affiliations

¹ Deputy Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Division, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
² School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
³ Centre for Primary Health Care & Equity, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
⁴ School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
⁵ Neuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
⁶ UNSW Ageing Futures Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
⁷ School of Health Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
⁸ College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, QLD, Australia.
⁹ School of Social Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Abstract

Indigenous cultural health is an emerging field of research and reflects the unique connections Indigenous peoples have with their Country, culture, and knowledge systems. This narrative review explores the concept of cultural health focusing on the interplay between culture, health, and wellbeing within settler colonial contexts. The review is mostly focused on Australian research, despite its international scope. A narrative review methodology was employed, search terms were compiled, and a title and abstract search was executed across two databases (Scopus, PubMed), confined to English language papers, with a focus on Australia. Three key themes were identified: Country; culture, and Indigenous knowledges. Country is vital to health. Culture practices offer frameworks for healing nurturing the relationship between people, Country and culture. Privileging Indigenous knowledges is a means to achieving health and wellbeing. Indigenous cultural health encompasses the interconnectedness of Country, people and culture, demanding a holistic approach that integrates Indigenous knowledges and practices. In Australia, these core components of cultural health must be situated in a contemporary context of ongoing colonisation. This narrative review underscores the importance of culturally centred approaches in addressing health inequities and enhancing the wellbeing of Indigenous peoples.

Funding: This study was funded by the Australian Government's Medical Research Future Fund (MRF2009522 & MRF2025330).

Keywords: Aboriginal; Country; Cultural health; Culture; Indigenous knowledges.

Publication types

Review