This study is one of the first to examine strengths-based indicators of well-being in a large population-level Indigenous sample.
Healthy functioning was significantly associated with not smoking, being physically active, having fewer chronic health conditions, and meeting basic financial needs. These results challenge deficit-centered discourses that blame individuals and groups rather than policies, socio-economic conditions, or other structural issues. Rather, it emphasizes the value of identifying the factors that support the flourishing of indigenous communities.
Understanding Indigenous health requires recognizing both the structural barriers created by colonization and the remarkable strengths that our communities continue to embody. Our findings highlight that despite long-standing inequalities, Indigenous adults can experience meaningful well-being. ”
Ashley Quinn, first author, Assistant Professor, Factor Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW), University of Toronto
The study, which used data from the 2022 and 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), also found a strong association between socio-economic stability and healthy living. Respondents who were able to reliably pay their bills and access transportation were significantly more likely to meet the study’s happiness criteria.
“Financial security is not just an economic metric, it’s a determinant of health,” said co-author Teagan Miller, who recently completed her master’s degree in social work at FIFSW. “Stable access to food, transportation, and housing significantly increases the likelihood of healthy functioning, which strengthens the need for policy interventions that address systemic inequalities.”
Chronic physical and mental health conditions were important predictors of poorer healthy functioning. Notably, respondents without depression were more than four times more likely to meet positive well-being criteria than those with depression.
“Mental health cannot be separated from community, family, land, and cultural identity,” said co-author Philip Biden, an associate professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Texas at Arlington. “Interventions that incorporate Indigenous worldviews are essential to support mental health and healing.”
Healthy behaviors, such as avoiding smoking and engaging in regular physical activity, also played an important role. More than half of the respondents had never smoked, and about three-quarters were physically active.
“This study flips the script and shifts the narrative from deficit to Indigenous strength and resilience,” said co-author Esme Fuller-Thomson, FIFSW professor and director of the Life Course and Aging Institute at the University of Toronto. “Healthy functioning of Indigenous peoples is not uncommon; it is real, measurable, and deeply shaped by social and economic circumstances.”
The authors note that while nearly 30% of Indigenous respondents were functioning in good health, two-thirds did not meet survey criteria, demonstrating the need to scale up public health efforts that address both structural inequalities and culturally meaningful pathways to health.
This research contributes to a growing field that emphasizes Indigenous strengths, resilience, and overall health, rather than focusing solely on disparities. The authors call for future research that incorporates measures of Indigenous-defined health, including community, cultural, spiritual, and environmental dimensions. This research recently Journal of Indigenous Well-Being.
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Reference magazines:
Quinn, A. others. (2026) Details on Thriving Indigenous Peoples: Findings from Population-Based Research. Journal of Indigenous Well-Being. https://journalindigenouswellbeing.co.nz/journal_articles/a-closer-look-at-flourishing-indigenous-peoples-findings-from-a-population-based-study/
