Indigenous Peoples and Occupational Therapy in Canada: A scoping review.
Hannah F Bauer, Ellen C Neal, Monique E Lizon and 2 others
PMID 35603659WHAT IT FOUND
Most Canadian occupational therapy literature on Indigenous Peoples is reflective grey literature, not primary research.
Of eight empirical studies, only two used Indigenous methodologies or had Indigenous leadership. Partnership is a dominant theme, but concrete strategies and community-led evidence remain scarce.
Key findings
01Of 47 included articles, only eight were empirical studies, while 39 were nonempirical (mostly grey literature).
02Among the eight empirical studies, only two employed anti-colonial frameworks or Indigenous research methodologies, and none had Indigenous primary researchers.
03Partnership in practice was the most ubiquitous theme, yet few articles provided concrete strategies to improve it.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The review lacks Indigenous authorship, which may bias the interpretation of 'cultural safety' and 'partnership'. The appraisal tool was adapted from Australian criteria, which may not fully capture Canadian Indigenous contexts. The broad scope risks generalizing findings across diverse Indigenous nations in Canada. The methodology is Western (scoping review), which may limit the depth of interpretive understanding of Indigenous perspectives. Only 8 empirical studies were found, making conclusions about research quality tentative.
Declared interests
The authors declare no financial conflicts of interest. They acknowledge their positionality as settler-heritage student occupational therapists, which influenced the review's lens and the adaptation of appraisal criteria. They consulted with the CAOT Occupational Therapy and Indigenous Health Network (OTIHN) but note this does not replace collaboration with Indigenous Peoples.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the high volume of post-2015 literature as evidence of effective, culturally safe OT practice. Most of this writing is reflective grey literature, not primary research. The few empirical studies available largely failed to meet Indigenous research standards, meaning there is currently very little evidence on what actually works for Indigenous clients in Canadian OT settings.