Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Physical pain among Indigenous Peoples in Canada: a scoping review

La douleur physique chez les peuples autochtones au Canada : une étude de portée

  • Review Article/Brief Review
  • Published:
Canadian Journal of Anesthesia/Journal canadien d'anesthésie Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Pain is a multifaceted experience shaped by various factors including context of pain, previous life events, and ongoing ethnocultural circumstances. Moreover, the definition of pain is inconsistent across cultures. Western medicine views physical pain (e.g., associated with a bone fracture) and nonphysical mental pain (e.g., depression) as two distinct conditions. Indigenous perspectives are often more wholistic, encompassing mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical hurt. The subjective nature of pain invites ample opportunity for discrimination in both its assessment and management. As such, it is important to consider Indigenous perspectives of pain in research and clinical practice. To investigate which aspects of Indigenous pain knowledge are currently considered by Western research, we conducted a scoping review of the literature on pain in Indigenous Peoples of Canada.

Source

In June 2021, we searched nine databases and downloaded 8,220 papers after removal of duplicates. Two independent reviewers screened abstracts and full-text articles.

Principle findings

Seventy-seven papers were included in the analysis. Using grounded theory, five themes emerged: pain measures/scales (n = 7), interventions (n = 13), pharmaceuticals (n = 17), pain expression/experiences (n = 45), and pain conditions (n = 70).

Conclusion

This scoping review shows that there is a paucity of research on pain measurement in Indigenous Peoples of Canada. This finding is concerning in light of numerous studies reporting that Indigenous Peoples experience their pain as ignored, minimized, or disbelieved. Furthermore, a clear disconnect emerged between pain expression in Indigenous Peoples and assessment in medical professionals. We hope that this scoping review will serve to translate current knowledge to other non-Indigenous academics and to initiate meaningful collaboration with Indigenous partners. Future research led by Indigenous academics and community partners is critically needed to better address pain needs in Canada.

Résumé

Objectif

La douleur est une expérience multidimensionnelle façonnée par divers facteurs, notamment le contexte de la douleur, les événements antérieurs de la vie et les circonstances ethnoculturelles courantes. De plus, la définition de la douleur change d’une culture à l’autre. La médecine occidentale considère la douleur physique (par exemple, celle associée à une fracture osseuse) et la douleur mentale non physique (par exemple, la dépression) comme deux conditions distinctes. Les perspectives autochtones sont souvent plus holistiques, englobant les blessures mentales, spirituelles, émotionnelles et physiques. La nature subjective de la douleur ouvre la voie à de nombreuses possibilités de discrimination tant dans son évaluation que dans sa prise en charge. C’est pourquoi il est important de tenir compte des perspectives autochtones en matière de douleur dans la recherche et la pratique clinique. Afin d’étudier quels aspects des connaissances autochtones concernant la douleur sont actuellement pris en compte par la recherche occidentale, nous avons réalisé une étude de portée de la littérature sur la douleur chez les peuples autochtones du Canada.

Sources

En juin 2021, nous avons consulté neuf bases de données et téléchargé 8220 articles après suppression des doublons. Deux personnes ont passé en revue et évalué de manière indépendante les résumés et textes intégraux.

Constatations principales

Soixante-dix-sept articles ont été inclus dans l’analyse. À l’aide de la théorie ancrée, cinq thèmes sont ressortis : les mesures/échelles de la douleur (n = 7), les interventions (n = 13), les produits pharmaceutiques (n = 17), l’expression/les expériences de la douleur (n = 45), et les conditions de douleur (n = 70).

Conclusion

Cette étude de portée démontre le peu de recherches sur la mesure de la douleur chez les peuples autochtones du Canada. Cette conclusion est préoccupante à la lumière de nombreuses études indiquant que les peuples autochtones voient leur douleur ignorée, minimisée ou discréditée. De plus, un décalage évident est apparu entre l’expression de la douleur chez les peuples autochtones et l’évaluation par les professionnels de la santé. Nous espérons que cette étude de portée servira à transférer les connaissances actuelles à d’autres chercheurs et chercheuses non autochtones et à établir une collaboration significative avec des partenaires autochtones. Les recherches futures menées par des universitaires autochtones et des partenaires de la collectivité sont essentielles pour mieux répondre aux besoins en matière de douleur au Canada.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Note: we have selected the spelling “wholistic” opposed to “holistic.” Wholistic encapsulates the philosophy of the whole, an inclusiveness encompassing the entire self (mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical) and the larger system of family, community, and environment.

References

  1. Talbot K, Madden VJ, Jones SL, Moseley GL. The sensory and affective components of pain: are they differentially modifiable dimensions or inseparable aspects of a unitary experience? A systematic review. Br J Anaesth 2019; 123: e263–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bja.2019.03.033

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Vallath N, Salins N, Kumar M. Unpleasant subjective emotional experiencing of pain. Indian J Palliat Care 2013; 19: 12–9. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-1075.110217

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Mogil JS. Sources of individual differences in pain. Annu Rev Neurosci 2021; 44: 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-neuro-092820-105941

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Brown TT, Partanen J, Chuong L, Villaverde V, Chantal Griffin A, Mendelson A. Discrimination hurts: the effect of discrimination on the development of chronic pain. Soc Sci Med 2018; 2014: 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.03.015

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Mills SE, Nicolson KP, Smith BH. Chronic pain: a review of its epidemiology and associated factors in population-based studies. Br J Anaesth 2019; 123: e273–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bja.2019.03.023

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Lumley MA, Cohen JL, Borszcz GS, et al. Pain and emotion: a biopsychosocial review of recent research. J Clin Psychol 2011; 67: 942–68. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20816

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. Mossey JM. Defining racial and ethnic disparities in pain management. Clin Orthop Relat Res 2011; 469: 1859–70. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-011-1770-9

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  8. Paulson MR, Dekker AH, Aguilar-Gaxiola S. Eliminating disparities in pain management. J Am Osteopath Assoc 2007; 107: ES17–20.

  9. Stein KD, Alcaraz KI, Kamson C, Fallon EA, Smith TG. Sociodemographic inequalities in barriers to cancer pain management: a report from the American Cancer Society’s study of cancer survivors-II (SCS-II). Psychooncology 2016; 25: 1212–21. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.4218

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Goyal MK, Kuppermann N, Cleary SD, Teach SJ, Chamberlain JM. Racial disparities in pain management of children with appendicitis in emergency departments. JAMA Pediatr 2015; 169: 996–1002. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.1915

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  11. Hampton SB, Cavalier J, Langford R. The influence of race and gender on pain management: a systematic literature review. Pain Manag Nurs 2015; 16: 968–77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmn.2015.06.009

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Harris N, Long L. Racial and ethnic disparities in pain management. Clin Pract Athl Train 2021; 4: 43–56. https://doi.org/10.31622/2021/0004.1.6

  13. Aboriginal Children's Hurt & Healing Initiative. Aboriginal Children’s Hurt & Healing (ACHH) Initiative: First Nation community health video. First Peoples Child Fam Rev 2018; 13: 12. https://doi.org/10.7202/1082964ar

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Latimer M, Sylliboy JR, Francis J, et al. Co-creating better healthcare experiences for First Nations children and youth: the FIRST approach emerges from Two-Eyed seeing. Paediatr Neonatal Pain 2020; 2: 104–12. https://doi.org/10.1002/pne2.12024

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  15. Latimer M, Sylliboy JR, MacLeod E, et al. Creating a safe space for First Nations youth to share their pain. Pain Rep 2018; 3: e682. https://doi.org/10.1097/pr9.0000000000000682

  16. Latimer M, Young S, Dell C, Finley GA. Aboriginal children and physical pain: what do we know? Int J Indig Heal 2012; 9: 7–14. Available from: https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/ijih/article/view/29016

  17. Latimer M, Simandl D, Finley A, et al. Understanding the impact of the pain experience on Aboriginal children’s wellbeing: viewing through a two-eyed seeing lens. First Peoples Child Fam Rev 2014; 9: 22–37. https://doi.org/10.7202/1071791ar

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Government of Canada. Indigenous peoples and communities, 2022. Available from URL: https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1100100013785/1529102490303 (accessed February 2023).

  19. Kolahdooz F, Nader F, Yi KJ, Sharma S. Understanding the social determinants of health among Indigenous Canadians: priorities for health promotion policies and actions. Glob Health Action 2015; 8: 27968. https://doi.org/10.3402/gha.v8.27968

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. King M. Chronic diseases and mortality in Canadian Aboriginal peoples: learning from the knowledge [Spanish]. Prev Chronic Dis 2011; 8: A07.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Tjepkema M, Wilkins R, Senécal S, Guimond É, Penney C. Mortality of urban Aboriginal adults in Canada, 1991-2001. Prev Chronic Dis 2011; 8: A06.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Bruce SG, Riediger ND, Zacharias JM, Young TK. Obesity and obesity-related comorbidities in a Canadian first nation population. Prev Chronic Dis 2011; 8: A03.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Batal M, Decelles S. A scoping review of obesity among Indigenous Peoples in Canada. J Obes 2019; 2019: 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/9741090

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Dyck R, Osgood N, Lin TH, Gao A, Stang MR. Epidemiology of diabetes mellitus among First Nations and non-First Nations adults. CMAJ 2010; 182: 249–56. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.090846

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  25. Frohlich KL, Ross N, Richmond C. Health disparities in Canada today: some evidence and a theoretical framework. Health Policy 2006; 79: 132–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2005.12.010

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Czyzewski K. Colonialism as a broader social determinant of health. Int Indig Policy J 2011; 2. https://doi.org/10.18584/iipj.2011.2.1.5

  27. Kim PJ. Social determinants of health inequities in Indigenous Canadians through a life course approach to colonialism and the residential school system. Health Equity 2019; 3: 378–81. https://doi.org/10.1089/heq.2019.0041

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  28. Reading C, Wien F. Health inequalities and the social determinants of Aboriginal peoples’ health, 2009. Available from URL: https://nccih.ca/docs/determinants/RPT-HealthInequalities-Reading-Wien-EN.pdf (accessed February 2023).

  29. Wylie L, McConkey S. Insiders’ insight: discrimination against Indigenous Peoples through the eyes of health care professionals. J Racial Ethn Heal Disparities 2019; 6: 37–45. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-018-0495-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Goodman A, Fleming K, Markwick N, et al. Corrigendum to “They treated me like crap and I know it was because I was Native”: the healthcare experiences of Aboriginal peoples living in Vancouver’s inner city. Soc Sci Med 2017; 184: 187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.04.050

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  31. Browne A, Fiske J. First Nations women’s encounters with mainstream health care services. West J Nurs Res 2001; 23: 126–47. https://doi.org/10.1177/019394590102300203

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Nelson SE, Wilson K. Understanding barriers to health care access through cultural safety and ethical space: Indigenous people’s experiences in Prince George, Canada. Soc Sci Med 2018; 218: 21–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.09.017

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Tang SY, Browne AJ. 'Race' matters: racialization and egalitarian discourses involving Aboriginal people in the Canadian health care context. Ethn Health 2008; 13: 109–27. https://doi.org/10.1080/13557850701830307

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Denison J, Varcoe C, Browne AJ. Aboriginal women’s experiences of accessing health care when state apprehension of children is being threatened. J Adv Nurs 2014; 70: 1105–16. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.12271

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Boyer Y. Healing racism in Canadian health care. CMAJ 2017; 189: E1408–9. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.171234

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  36. Adelson N. The embodiment of inequity: health disparities in Aboriginal Canada. Can J Public Health 2005; 96: S45–61. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf03403702

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  37. Craig KD, Holmes C, Hudspith M, et al. Pain in persons who are marginalized by social conditions. Pain 2020; 161: 261–5. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001719

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Wallace B, Varcoe C, Holmes C, et al. Towards health equity for people experiencing chronic pain and social marginalization. Int J Equity Health 2021; 20: 53. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-021-01394-6

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  39. Webster F, Connoy L, Sud A, Pinto AD, Katz J. Grappling with chronic pain and poverty during the COVID-19 pandemic. Can J Pain 2020; 4: 125–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/24740527.2020.1766855

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  40. McGibbon E. Truth and reconciliation: healthcare organizational leadership. Healthc Manag Forum 2019; 32: 20–4. https://doi.org/10.1177/0840470418803379

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Julien N, Lacasse A, Labra O, Asselin H. Review of chronic non-cancer pain research among Aboriginal people in Canada. Int J Qual Health Care 2018; 30: 178–85. https://doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzx195

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Levac D, Colquhoun H, O’Brien KK. Scoping studies: advancing the methodology. Implement Sci 2010; 5: 69. https://doi.org/10.1186/1748-5908-5-69

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  43. Arksey H, O’Malley L. Scoping studies: towards a methodological framework. Int J Soc Res Methodol Theory Pract 2005; 8: 19–32. https://doi.org/10.1080/1364557032000119616

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Tricco AC, Lillie E, Zarin W, et al. PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR): checklist and explanation. Ann Intern Med 2018; 169: 467–73. https://doi.org/10.7326/m18-0850

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Campbell S, Dorgan M, Tjosvold L. Filter to retrieve studies related to Indigenous people of British Columbia from the OVID Medline Database. Available from URL: http://guides.library.ualberta.ca/ld.php?content_id=14026803 (accessed February 2023).

  46. Chun Tie Y, Birks M, Francis K. Grounded theory research: a design framework for novice researchers. SAGE Open Med 2019; 7: 205031211882292. https://doi.org/10.1177/2050312118822927

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Ellis JA, Ootoova A, Blouin R, et al. Establishing the psychometric properties and preferences for the Northern Pain Scale. Int J Circumpolar Health 2011; 70: 274–85. https://doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v70i3.17823

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Ellis JA, Jacob E, Maycock B. Children’s drawings of pain faces: a comparison of two cultures. J Pain Manag 2009; 2: 193–202.

    Google Scholar 

  49. Latimer M, Finley GA, Rudderham S, et al. Expression of pain among Mi’kmaq children in one Atlantic Canadian community: a qualitative study. CMAJ Open 2014; 2: E133–8. https://doi.org/10.9778/cmajo.20130086

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  50. Nagaraj S, Kargard M, Hemmelgarn BR, Fritzler M, White T, Barnabe C. Effectiveness of an outreach model of care for rheumatology specialty clinics to an on-reserve First Nations community. Int J Indig Health 2018; 13: 157–67. https://doi.org/10.32799/ijih.v13i1.30315

  51. Barnabe C, Zheng Y, Ohinmaa A, et al. Effectiveness, complications, and costs of rheumatoid arthritis treatment with biologics in Alberta: experience of Indigenous and non-Indigenous patients. J Rheumatol 2018; 45: 1344–52. https://doi.org/10.3899/jrheum.170779

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Barnabe C, Lockerbie S, Erasmus E, Crowshoe L. Facilitated access to an integrated model of care for arthritis in an urban Aboriginal population. Can Fam Physician 2017; 63: 699–706.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  53. Barnabe C, Crane L, White T, et al. Patient-reported outcomes, resource use, and social participation of patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with biologics in Alberta: experience of Indigenous and non-Indigenous patients. J Rheumatol 2018; 45: 760–5. https://doi.org/10.3899/jrheum.170778

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Passmore SR, Toth A, Kanovsky J, Olin G. Initial integration of chiropractic services into a provincially funded inner city community health centre: a program description. J Can Chiropr Assoc 2015; 59: 363–72.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  55. Kelley ML, Prince H, Nadin S, et al. Developing palliative care programs in Indigenous communities using participatory action research: a Canadian application of the public health approach to palliative care. Ann Palliat Med 2018; 7: S52–72. https://doi.org/10.21037/apm.2018.03.06

  56. Prince H, Nadin S, Crow M, et al. “If you understand you cope better with it”: the role of education in building palliative care capacity in four First Nations communities in Canada. BMC Public Health 2019; 19: 768. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-6983-y

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  57. Harrison R, Veronneau J, Leroux B. Effectiveness of maternal counseling in reducing caries in Cree children. J Dent Res 2012; 91: 1032–7. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022034512459758

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Fruch V, Monture L, Prince H, Kelley ML. Coming home to die: six Nations of the Grand River Territory develops community-based palliative care. Int J Indig Health 2016; 11: 50–74. https://doi.org/10.18357/ijih111201615303

  59. Srivastava A, Kahan M, Jiwa A. Prescription opioid use and misuse: piloting an educational strategy for rural primary care physicians. Can Fam Physician 2012; 58: e210–6. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc3325473/

  60. Browne AJ, Varcoe C, Ford-Gilboe M, et al. Disruption as opportunity: impacts of an organizational health equity intervention in primary care clinics. Int J Equity Health 2018; 17: 154. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-018-0820-2

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  61. Varcoe C, Ford-Gilboe M, Browne AJ, et al. The efficacy of a health promotion intervention for Indigenous women: reclaiming our spirits. J Interpers Violence 2021; 36: NP7086–116. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260518820818

  62. Varcoe C, Browne A, Ford-Gilboe M, et al. Reclaiming our spirits: development and pilot testing of a health promotion intervention for Indigenous women who have experienced intimate partner violence. Res Nurs Health 2017; 40: 237–54. https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.21795

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  63. Nelson SE, Browne AJ, Lavoie JG. Representations of Indigenous peoples and use of pain medication in Canadian news media. Int Indig Policy J 2016; 7. https://doi.org/10.18584/iipj.2016.7.1.5

  64. Hemsing N, Greaves L, Poole N, Schmidt R. Misuse of Prescription opioid medication among women: a scoping review. Pain Res Manag 2016; 2016: 1754195. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/1754195

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  65. Dell CA, Roberts G, Kilty J, et al. Researching prescription drug misuse among First Nations in Canada: starting from a health promotion framework. Subst Abus 2012; 6: 23–31. https://doi.org/10.4137/sart.s9247

    Article  Google Scholar 

  66. Loyola-Sanchez A, Hazlewood G, Crowshoe L, et al. Qualitative study of treatment preferences for rheumatoid arthritis and pharmacotherapy acceptance: Indigenous patient perspectives. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2020; 72: 544–52. https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.23869

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  67. Barnabe C, Miller J, Teare S, et al. Solution model for enhancing the experiences of urban first nations and métis patients accessing and navigating the health system for inflammatory arthritis care. Int Indig Policy J 2019; 10. https://doi.org/10.18584/iipj.2019.10.2.3

  68. Allen C, Murphy A, Kiselbach S, VandenBerg S, Wiebe E. Exploring the experience of chronic pain among female survival sex workers: a qualitative study. BMC Fam Pract 2015; 16: 182. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-015-0395-6

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  69. Thommasen H V, Baggaley E, Thommasen C, Zhang W. Prevalence of depression and prescriptions for antidepressants, Bella Coola Valley, 2001. Can J Psychiatry 2005; 50: 346–52. https://doi.org/10.1177/070674370505000610

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  70. Dosman JA, Karunanayake CP, Fenton M, et al. Prevalence of insomnia in two Saskatchewan First Nation communities. Clocks Sleep 2021; 3: 98–114. https://doi.org/10.3390/clockssleep3010007

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  71. Barkwell D. Cancer pain: voices of the Ojibway people. J Pain Symptom Manage 2005; 30: 454–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2005.04.008

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  72. O'Brien VA. Person centred palliative care: a First Nations perspective, 2012. Available from URL: https://macsphere.mcmaster.ca/handle/11375/12633 (accessed February 2023).

  73. Browne AJ, Smye VL, Rodney P, Tang SY, Mussell B, O’Neil J. Access to primary care from the perspective of Aboriginal patients at an urban emergency department. Qual Health Res 2011; 21: 333–48. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732310385824

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  74. Koteles J, de Vrijer B, Penava D, Xie B. Maternal characteristics and satisfaction associated with intrapartum epidural analgesia use in Canadian women. Int J Obstet Anesth 2012; 21: 317–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijoa.2012.06.006

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  75. Meana M, Cho R, DesMeules M. Chronic pain: the extra burden on Canadian women. BMC Womens Health 2004; 4: S17. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6874-4-s1-s17

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  76. Sylliboy JR, Hovey RB. Humanizing Indigenous Peoples’ engagement in health care. CMAJ 2020; 192: E70–2. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.190754

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  77. Sylliboy JR, Latimer M, Marshall EA, MacLeod E. Communities take the lead: exploring Indigenous health research practices through Two-Eyed Seeing & kinship. Int J Circumpolar Health 2021; 80: 1929755. https://doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2021.1929755

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  78. Loyola-Sanchez A, Hurd K, Barnabe C. Healthcare utilization for arthritis by indigenous populations of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States: a systematic review. Semin Arthritis Rheum 2017; 46: 665–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.semarthrit.2016.10.011

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  79. Duggleby W, Kuchera S, MacLeod R, et al. Indigenous people’s experiences at the end of life. Palliat Support Care 2015; 13: 1721–33. https://doi.org/10.1017/s147895151500070x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  80. Schuster-Wallace CJ, Nouvet E, Rigby I, et al. Culturally sensitive palliative care in humanitarian action: lessons from a critical interpretive synthesis of culture in palliative care literature. Palliat Support Care 2022; 20: 582–92. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1478951521000894

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  81. Caxaj CS, Schill K, Janke R. Priorities and challenges for a palliative approach to care for rural Indigenous populations: a scoping review. Health Soc Care Community 2018; 26: e329–36. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.12469

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  82. Thurston WE, Coupal S, Jones CA, et al. Discordant Indigenous and provider frames explain challenges in improving access to arthritis care: a qualitative study using constructivist grounded theory. Int J Equity Health 2014; 13: 46. https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-9276-13-46

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  83. Letendre A. Aboriginal female sexual health in a context of cervical cancer and cervical cytology screening with reference to the Cree and Cree-Métis of Northern Alberta, 2008. Available from URL: https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/thesescanada/vol2/002/NR46358.PDF (accessed February 2023).

  84. Loyola-Sanchez A, Pelaez-Ballestas I, Crowshoe L, et al. "There are still a lot of things that I need": a qualitative study exploring opportunities to improve the health services of First Nations People with arthritis seen at an on-reserve outreach rheumatology clinic. BMC Health Serv Res 2020; 20: 1076. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-020-05909-9

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  85. Latimer M, Rudderham S, Lethbridge L, et al. Occurrence of and referral to specialists for pain-related diagnoses in First Nations and non-First Nations children and youth. CMAJ 2018; 190: E1434–40. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.180198

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  86. Johnston G, Vukic A, Parker S. Cultural understanding in the provision of supportive and palliative care: perspectives in relation to an indigenous population. BMJ Support Palliat Care 2013; 3: 61–8. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjspcare-2011-000122

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  87. Cerigo H, Macdonald ME, Franco EL, Brassard P. Inuit women’s attitudes and experiences towards cervical cancer and prevention strategies in Nunavik, Quebec. Int J Circumpolar Health 2012; 71: 17996. https://doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v71i0.17996

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  88. Batta R, Carey R, Sasbrink-Harkema MA, Oyedokun TO, Lim HJ, Stempien J. Equality of care between First Nations and non-First Nations patients in Saskatoon emergency departments. CJEM 2019; 21: 111–9. https://doi.org/10.1017/cem.2018.34

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  89. Nagaraj S, Barnabe C, Schieir O, et al. Early rheumatoid arthritis presentation, treatment, and outcomes in Aboriginal patients in Canada: a Canadian early arthritis cohort study analysis. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2018; 70: 1245–50. https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.23470

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  90. Barnabe C, Elias B, Bartlett J, Roos L, Peschken C. Arthritis in Aboriginal Manitobans: evidence for a high burden of disease. J Rheumatol 2008; 35: 1145–50.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  91. Bath B, Trask C, McCrosky J, Lawson J. Demographic and health characteristics of rural- and urban-dwelling canadians with chronic back disorders: a population-based comparison. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2014; 39: 1960–8. https://doi.org/10.1097/brs.0000000000000561

  92. Maranzan A. The health status and needs of Aboriginal people assessed for home care in Ontario, 2008. Available from URL: https://knowledgecommons.lakeheadu.ca/handle/2453/3877 (accessed February 2023).

  93. Harper SL, Edge VL, Ford J, et al. Lived experience of acute gastrointestinal illness in Rigolet, Nunatsiavut: “just suffer through it.” Soc Sci Med 2015; 126: 86–98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.12.011

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  94. Hurd K, Barnabe C. Systematic review of rheumatic disease phenotypes and outcomes in the Indigenous populations of Canada, the USA, Australia and New Zealand. Rheumatol Int 2017; 37: 503–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-016-3623-z

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  95. Schroth RJ, Harrison RL, Moffatt ME. Oral health of indigenous children and the influence of early childhood caries on childhood health and well-being. Pediatr Clin North Am 2009; 56: 1481–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcl.2009.09.010

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  96. Smith L, Blinkhorn FA, Blinkhorn AS, Hawke F. Prevention of dental caries in Indigenous children from World Health Organization-listed high-income countries: a systematic review. Health Educ J 2018; 77: 332–48. https://doi.org/10.1177/0017896917749264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  97. Jimenez N, Garroutte E, Kundu A, Morales L, Buchwald D. A review of the experience, epidemiology, and management of pain among American Indian, Alaska Native, and Aboriginal Canadian peoples. J Pain 2011; 12: 511–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2010.12.002

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  98. Smolik I, Robinson DB, Bernstein CN, El-Gabalawy HS. First-degree relatives of patients with rheumatoid arthritis exhibit high prevalence of joint symptoms. J Rheumatol 2013; 40: 818–24. https://doi.org/10.3899/jrheum.121016

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  99. Peschken C, Hitchon C, Robinson D, et al. Rheumatoid arthritis in a north american native population: longitudinal followup and comparison with a white population. J Rheumatol 2010; 37: 1589–95. https://doi.org/10.3899/jrheum.091452

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  100. Tennenhouse LG, Leslie WD, Lix LM. Health-related quality of life for First Nations and Caucasian women in the First Nations Bone Health Study. BMC Res Notes 2017; 10: 755. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-017-3081-z

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  101. Bath B, Trask C, McCrosky J, Lawson J. A biopsychosocial profile of adult Canadians with and without chronic back disorders: a population-based analysis of the 2009-2010 Canadian Community Health Surveys. Biomed Res Int 2014; 2014: 919621. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/919621

  102. Thommasen H V, Zhang W. Impact of chronic disease on quality of life in the Bella Coola Valley. Rural Remote Health 2006; 6: 528.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  103. Oen K, Guzman J, Dufault B, et al. Health-related quality of life in an inception cohort of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a longitudinal analysis. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2018; 70: 134–44. https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.23236

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  104. O’Neil LJ, Spicer V, Smolik I, et al. Association of a serum protein signature with rheumatoid arthritis development. Arthritis Rheumatol 2021; 73: 78–88. https://doi.org/10.1002/art.41483

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  105. Tanner S, Dufault B, Smolik I, et al. A prospective study of the development of inflammatory arthritis in the family members of Indigenous North American people with rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheumatol 2019; 71: 1494–503. https://doi.org/10.1002/art.40880

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  106. Ramage-Morin PL, Gilmour H. Chronic pain at ages 12 to 44. Health Rep 2010; 21: 53–61.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  107. Nolan AM, Stewart LA. Chronic health conditions among incoming Canadian federally sentenced women. J Correct Health Care 2017; 23: 93–103. https://doi.org/10.1177/1078345816685707

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  108. Stewart LA, Nolan A, Sapers J, Power J, Panaro L, Smith J. Chronic health conditions reported by male inmates newly admitted to Canadian federal penitentiaries. CMAJ Open 2015; 3: E97–102. https://doi.org/10.9778/cmajo.20140025

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  109. Fuller-Thomson E, Lee S, Cameron RE, Baiden P, Agbeyaka S, Karamally TM. Aboriginal peoples in complete mental health: a nationally-representative Canadian portrait of resilience and flourishing. Transcult Psychiatry 2020; 57: 250–62. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363461519885702

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  110. Levy DM, Peschken CA, Tucker LB, et al. Association of health-related quality of life in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus with ethnicity: results from a multiethnic multicenter Canadian cohort. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2014; 66: 1767–74. https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.22363

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  111. Bablitz C, Ahnadzadeh A, MacLeod SB. Dying alone: an Indigenous man’s journey at the end of life. Can Fam Physician 2018; 64: 667–8.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  112. Blanchard AK, Wang X, El-Gabalawy H, et al. Oral health in a First Nations and a non-Aboriginal population in Manitoba. Int J Circumpolar Health 2012; 71: 17394. https://doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v71i0.17394

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  113. Leake J, Jozzy S, Uswak G. Severe dental caries, impacts and determinants among children 2-6 years of age in Inuvik Region, Northwest Territories, Canada. J Can Dent Assoc 2008; 74: 519.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  114. Oppenheimer M, Embil JM, Black B, et al. Blastomycosis of bones and joints. South Med J 2007; 100: 570–8. https://doi.org/10.1097/smj.0b013e3180487a92

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  115. Turpel-Lafond ME. In plain: sight addressing Indigenous-specific racism and discrimination in B.C. health care. Available from URL: https://engage.gov.bc.ca/app/uploads/sites/613/2020/11/In-Plain-Sight-Summary-Report.pdf (accessed February 2023).

  116. Kaseweter KA, Drwecki BB, Prkachin KM. Racial differences in pain treatment and empathy in a Canadian sample. Pain Res Manag 2012; 17: 381–4. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/803474

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  117. Duong D. Reconciliation in health care must go beyond cultural sensitivity. CMAJ 2021; 193: E256–7. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.1095919

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  118. Melzack R, Wall PD. Pain mechanisms: a new theory. Science 1965; 150: 971–9. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.150.3699.971

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  119. Melzack R. The McGill Pain Questionnaire: major properties and scoring methods. Pain 1975; 1: 277–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3959(75)90044-5

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  120. Johnston CC, Stevens B, Craig KD, Grunau RV. Developmental changes in pain expression in premature, full-term, two- and four-month-old infants. Pain 1993; 52: 201–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3959(93)90132-9

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  121. Lawrence J, Alcock D, McGrath P, Kay J, MacMurray SB, Dulberg C. The development of a tool to assess neonatal pain. J Pain Symptom Manag 1991; 6: 194. https://doi.org/10.1016/0885-3924(91)91127-U

    Article  Google Scholar 

  122. Hadjistavropoulos T, LaChapelle DL, MacLeod FK, Snider B, Craig KD. Measuring movement-exacerbated pain in cognitively impaired frail elders. Clin J Pain 2000; 16: 54–63. https://doi.org/10.1097/00002508-200003000-00009

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  123. LaChapelle DL, Hadjistavropoulos T, Kenneth DC. Pain measurement in persons with intellectual disabilities. Clin J Pain 1999; 15: 13–23. https://doi.org/10.1097/00002508-199903000-00004

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  124. Indigenous Corporate Training Inc. A definition of smudging, 2017. Available from URL: https://www.ictinc.ca/blog/a-definition-of-smudging (accessed February 2023).

  125. Aman MM, Jason Yong R, Kaye AD, Urman RD. Evidence-based non-pharmacological therapies for fibromyalgia. Curr Pain Headache Rep 2018; 22: 33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-018-0688-2

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  126. Majeed MH, Ali AA, Sudak DM. Mindfulness-based interventions for chronic pain: evidence and applications. Asian J Psychiatr 2018; 32: 79–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2017.11.025

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  127. Bucsea O, Pillai Riddell R. Non-pharmacological pain management in the neonatal intensive care unit: managing neonatal pain without drugs. Semin Fetal Neonatal Med 2019; 24: 101017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.siny.2019.05.009

  128. Wittkopf PG, Johnson MI. Mirror therapy: a potential intervention for pain management. Rev Assoc Med Bras 2017; 63: 1000–5. https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9282.63.11.1000

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  129. Coutaux A. Non-pharmacological treatments for pain relief: TENS and acupuncture. Joint Bone Spine 2017; 84: 657–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbspin.2017.02.005

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  130. Fleming PS, Strydom H, Katsaros C, et al. Non-pharmacological interventions for alleviating pain during orthodontic treatment. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2016; 12: CD010263. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd010263.pub2

  131. Currie CL, Wild TC, Schopflocher DP, Laing L, Veugelers P. Illicit and prescription drug problems among urban Aboriginal adults in Canada: the role of traditional culture in protection and resilience. Soc Sci Med 2013; 88: 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.03.032

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  132. Rowan M, Poole N, Shea B, et al. Cultural interventions to treat addictions in indigenous populations: findings from a scoping study. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy 2014; 9: 34. https://doi.org/10.1186/1747-597x-9-34

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  133. Currie CL, Wild TC, Schopflocher DP, et al. Enculturation and alcohol use problems among aboriginal university students. Can J Psychiatry 2011; 56: 735–42. https://doi.org/10.1177/070674371105601205

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  134. Pacheco CM, Daley SM, Brown T, Filippi M, Greiner KA, Daley CM. Moving forward: breaking the cycle of mistrust between American Indians and researchers. Am J Public Health 2013; 103: 2152–9. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2013.301480

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  135. National Research Council Institute of Medicine. The Arctic Aeromedical Laboratory’s Thyroid Function Study: A Radiological Risk and Ethical Analysis. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press; 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  136. Moreno-John G, Gachie A, Fleming CM, et al. Ethnic minority older adults participating in clinical research: developing trust. J Aging Health 2004; 16: 93S–123. https://doi.org/10.1177/0898264304268151

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  137. Hodge FS, Weinmann S, Roubideaux Y. Recruitment of American Indians and Alaska Natives into clinical trials. Ann Epidemiol 2000; 10: S41–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1047-2797(00)00196-4

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  138. Garrison NA. Genomic justice for Native Americans: impact of the Havasupai case on genetic research. Sci Technol Human Values 2013; 38: 201–23. https://doi.org/10.1177/0162243912470009

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  139. Morton Ninomiya ME, Pollock NJ. Reconciling community-based Indigenous research and academic practices: knowing principles is not always enough. Soc Sci Med 2017; 172: 28–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.11.007

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  140. Mosby I. Administering colonial science: nutrition research and human biomedical experimentation in Aboriginal communities and residential schools, 1942-1952. Hist Soc 2013; 46: 145–72. https://doi.org/10.1353/his.2013.0015

    Article  Google Scholar 

  141. Pham MT, Rajić A, Greig JD, Sargeant JM, Papadopoulos A, Mcewen SA. A scoping review of scoping reviews: advancing the approach and enhancing the consistency. Res Synth Methods 2014; 5: 371–85. https://doi.org/10.1002/jrsm.1123

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author contributions

Nicole G. N. Bailey and John L. K. Kramer designed the review question. Nicole G. N. Bailey wrote the search strategies and ran all database searches. Nicole G. N. Bailey and Georgia Grenier independently conducted abstract and full-text screening. Nicole G. N. Bailey, Georgia Grenier, and another research assistant independently extracted data from all included papers and developed the themes. Nicole G. N. Bailey wrote the manuscript with help from John L. K. Kramer. Nicole G. N. Bailey created all figures and tables. Robbie Knott and Kenneth D. Craig provided feedback throughout the project. All authors contribute to the final version.

Acknowledegments

We thank Lerato Chondoma at The University of British Columbia’s (UBC’s) Indigenous Research Support Initiative for her wisdom, guidance, and patience throughout this project. We also acknowledge the expertise of UBC librarian Vanessa Kitchin who was consulted on the search strategy and who advised search codes and databases. Additionally, we would like to acknowledge the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) Network, which generously funded this work.

Disclosures

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Funding statement

This work was generously supported by the SPOR Network and the Canada Graduate Scholarships–Master’s program (Canadian Institutes of Health Research).

Prior conference presentations

This work has been presented as an oral presentation at the 12th Annual Whistler Anesthesiology Summit, 3–6 March 2022, Whistler, BC, Canada, and the 42nd Canadian Pain Society Annual Scientific Meeting, 10–13 May 2022, Montreal, QC, Canada.

Editorial responsibility

This submission was handled by Dr. M. Ruth Graham, Editorial Board Member and Guest Editor, Canadian Journal of Anesthesia/Journal canadien d’anesthésie.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Nicole G. N. Bailey MSc, Georgia Grenier BKin & John L. K. Kramer PhD

  2. Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Nicole G. N. Bailey MSc

  3. Indigenous Research Support Initiative, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Robbie Knott MCRP

  4. Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Kenneth D. Craig PhD

  5. Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    John L. K. Kramer PhD

  6. Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    John L. K. Kramer PhD

Authors
  1. Nicole G. N. Bailey MSc
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Robbie Knott MCRP
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Georgia Grenier BKin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Kenneth D. Craig PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. John L. K. Kramer PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nicole G. N. Bailey MSc.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (PDF 347 kb)

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bailey, N.G.N., Knott, R., Grenier, G. et al. Physical pain among Indigenous Peoples in Canada: a scoping review. Can J Anesth/J Can Anesth 70, 1047–1063 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12630-023-02461-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12630-023-02461-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation