Impacts of racism on First Nations patients' emergency care: results of a thematic analysis of healthcare provider interviews in Alberta, Canada

Abstract Background First Nations people experience racism in society and in the healthcare system. This study aimed to document emergency care providers’ perspectives on care of First Nations patients. First Nations research partner organizations co-led all aspects of the research. Methods Sixteen...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BMC Health Services Research
Main Authors: Patrick McLane, Leslee Mackey, Brian R. Holroyd, Kayla Fitzpatrick, Chyloe Healy, Katherine Rittenbach, Tessy Big Plume, Lea Bill, Anne Bird, Bonnie Healy, Kristopher Janvier, Eunice Louis, Cheryl Barnabe
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: BMC 2022
Subjects:
Indigenous peoples
First Nations
Indigenous health
Emergency medicine
Racism
Discrimination
Public aspects of medicine
RA1-1270
Canada
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08129-5
https://doaj.org/article/0ae38c0d7d504f5da2632d7d3965a073
Description
Summary:Abstract Background First Nations people experience racism in society and in the healthcare system. This study aimed to document emergency care providers’ perspectives on care of First Nations patients. First Nations research partner organizations co-led all aspects of the research. Methods Sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with Alberta emergency department (ED) physicians and nurses between November 2019 and March 2020. Results ED providers reported that First Nations patients are exposed to disrespect through tone and body language, experience overt racism, and may be neglected or not taken seriously. They described impacts of racist stereotypes on patient care, and strategies they took as individuals to address patient barriers to care. Recognized barriers to care included communication, resources, access to primary care and the ED environment itself. Conclusions Results may inform the content of anti-racist and anti-colonial pedagogy that is contextually tailored to ED providers, and inform wider systems efforts to counter racism against First Nations members and settler colonialism within healthcare.

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