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Oosman S.1, Bell R.2
1University of Saskatchewan, School of Physical Therapy, Saskatoon, Canada, 2University of Otago, School of Physical Therapy, Dunedin, New Zealand
Background: Health inequities are disproportionately represented amongst Indigenous populations and continue to be on an upward trend globally. Indigenous populations in both Canada and New Zealand experience poorer health outcomes and have more chronic health conditions at an earlier age than which are present in the resident non-Indigenous population. The historical and contemporary contexts influencing the health of Indigenous populations in both Canada and New Zealand suggest that colonization, racism, and discrimination are all critical factors that have driven these inequities. If we, as health care professionals and researchers, are to effectively mitigate these trends in culturally relevant ways, we cannot continue with the status quo.
Purpose: The primary purpose of this project is to explore meaningful, culture-based and respectful ways of engaging in Indigenous health research and physical therapy practice from a Canadian and New Zealand perspective. Learning from these diverse global experiences will
(1) inform new ways of integrating social justice and equity-focused approaches to research and
(2) highlight implications for physical therapy practice.
(1) inform new ways of integrating social justice and equity-focused approaches to research and
(2) highlight implications for physical therapy practice.
Methods: Two researchers, one from Canada and one from New Zealand, engaged in semi-structured conversations related to their unique experiences of engaging in Indigenous health research in their respective communities. The conversations were recorded and transcribed. A thematic analysis of the transcribed data was conducted.
Results: The semi-structured conversations allowed the 2 researchers to discuss their unique ways of engaging in Indigenous health research and practice. Emerging themes related to Indigenous health in research and practice included
(1) supporting the emergence of Indigenous epistemology and worldview,
(2) partnering and reconciling non-Indigenous and Indigenous methodology,
(3) actively engaging Indigenous communities in meaningful research and practice, and
(4) facilitating the uptake of this new knowledge to inform physical therapy pedagogy, practice and health policy.
Conclusion(s): This project challenges existing pedagogy, practice and policy in physical therapy that traditionally have on face value, failed to acknowledge distal, intermediate and proximal determinants of health. Indigenous knowledge systems and ways of being may offer some insight into the short-comings of existing research practices.
Implications: Implications for this work are as follows:
(1) Cultural and ethnic diversity in physical therapy programmes should be encouraged,
(2) Researchers need to be mindful of Indigenous worldviews and processes of knowledge acquisition and dissemination,
(3) Researchers and educators must actively engage in respectful relationship building with Indigenous peoples and reciprocally reconcile these practices into research and teaching, and
(4) Reflective practice is needed in order to positively impact health inequities.
Funding acknowledgements: No funding has been obtained for this work
Topic: Professional practice: other
Ethics approval: Ethics approval was not required for this work.
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
