The ideas in this paper are the result of work developed from the interests of the first
author (JJ), a Euro-Canadian woman who has had years of experience working with and learning from Aboriginal people in clinical settings of urban, rural, and remote
regions of Canada. During her doctoral research studies, she developed ideas leading to this study in efforts to identify and address systems-level issues that undermine the
health of Aboriginal people, through working closely with an advisory group; experts in the area of shared decision making and knowledge translation (DS); qualitative methods
and research with Aboriginal people (AG); the law, research, and Aboriginal people (YB); the status of Aboriginal women and children who are at risk of or who have experienced violence (leaders at ML). The study research partnership with Minwaashin Lodge, a community-based organization that provides services (e.g., shelter, counseling, training programs) to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit women and children who are survivors of family violence and/or the residential school system, was an integral and sustaining feature of this work. Minwaashin Lodge leaders viewed this study as of potential benefit to its community of women and children, both as an opportunity to talk about experiences of importance to them and as an opportunity to potentially influence health care systems.The purpose of this study is to describe the adaptation and usability testing of the Ottawa Personal Decision Guide (OPDG) to support decision making by Aboriginal
women.