The approach for this study is underpinned by Battiste’s articulation of postcolonial theory. She describes the need for transformative strategies from which to understand and strive to resolve the range of issues experienced by Aboriginal people and their communities related to oppression and marginalization that results from colonization. Battiste situated Aboriginal people as central to a collaborative process of societal
change with non-Aboriginal people. This perspective aligns with this study as it was developed from a research partnership between the study’s first author and Minwaashin Lodge, an Aboriginal led organization that serves Aboriginal women. Battiste’s postcolonial theory principles were adopted for this study as the most appropriate lens through which to view and address the complex intersections of colonialism’s impact
on the lives of the Aboriginal women who participated in the study. The use of Battiste’s postcolonial lens ensured that those conducting the study worked towards implementing research processes that examined approaches to SDM while promoting a decolonizing agenda. For example, there was ongoing reflection on study practices and adherence to the ethical framework by the first author and the advisory group throughout the study. The postcolonial lens also guided the data analysis phase to evoke the complex and interacting political, social, and historical factors that influence women’s use of a shared decision making tool like the OPDG, which led to adaptations that are described later in this paper.