The course will use indigenous health as an example to illustrate the importance of cultural competence in global and public health. Cultural competence is a critical element of cultural safety that encompasses cultural awareness and sensitivity. Cultural safety – a strategic and practical plan to change how healthcare is delivered to indigenous peoples – has been adopted for new approaches to community health and healing by healthcare providers who work with indigenous peoples, by recognising the contemporary conditions resulting from indigenous peoples’ post-contact history.

Specific attention is given to how colonialism affects indigenous wellbeing. Based upon the concept of cultural safety, this course will explore several indigenous health issues, including indigenous health inequalities, indigenous cultural safety, social determinants of indigenous health, indigenous ethnomedicine, indigenous mental health, indigenous eco-health, indigenous health promotion, and indigenous long-term care. A field trip is arranged to visit local governmental institutions, the indigenous hospital, and indigenous communities to promote students’ understanding of the relationship between cultural safety and indigenous health from the global health perspective.