119 Health status and crime of indigenous people in North America, Australia and New Zealand in the context of transmission of transgenerational trauma

Abstract EP3.2, e-Poster Terminal 3, September 3, 2025, 13:05 - 14:00 Aims Indigenous communities can be defined as groups of those who have experienced exclusion and have survived modernization and imperialism. However, it seems most reasonable to consider the health and criminological situation of these communities through the lens of colonization. Colonization processes led to the destruction of Indigenous cultures and, consequently, to the weakening or complete destruction of the cultural identity of representatives of Indigenous communities. And the destruction of Indigenous cultures is closely related to the victimization and predisposition to crime of colonized people. It also seems to determine their health status. When examining the situation of these communities within a colonial context, it is important to consider the transmission of transgenerational trauma. So, the aim of the paper is to examine relationships between historical trauma experienced by Indigenous people and its current consequences in the areas of health and crime. Methods Literature review. Results The health status of Indigenous communities is significantly worse than that of the majority population. In the USA, for example, this applies to aspects such as alcoholic liver disease, overdose mortality, suicide, which are all conceptualized as components of deaths of despair. A growing body of literature has revealed consistent associations between parents’ participation in Indian Residential Schools and various forms of psychological distress, depression, anxiety symptoms, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in their offspring. Meanwhile, in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, indigenous people are overrepresented in the criminal justice system. Conclusion The relationships between the transgenerational trauma and its contemporary effects on health and crime in Indigenous communities seems moderately evident. Historical trauma can be diverse in nature; for example, it may stem from witnessing a community massacre or the prohibition imposed on whaling among the northwestern coast communities of North America. Cultural factors play an important role in the treatment process.