Knowledge Gaps Regarding Indigenous Health in Occupational Therapy: A National Survey.
Claire C Jacek, Kassandra M Fritz, Monique E Lizon and 1 others
PMID 37654201WHAT IT FOUND
Most Canadian occupational therapists reported gaps in Indigenous health knowledge, yet 72% felt confident building trust with Indigenous clients despite limited training and low awareness of local healing practices.
The survey identified six core themes, including a lack of culturally appropriate tools and workplace strategies.
Key findings
01A majority of respondents reported completing training related to Indigenous health, but most of that training was short (under 10 hours).
0272% of respondents felt confident in their ability to build trust with Indigenous clients, despite only 9% being aware of traditional healing practices in their region.
03Few respondents believed there were sufficient culturally appropriate assessment tools, with 59% stating there were not.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The response rate was low relative to the total number of occupational therapists in Canada, and the sample was geographically skewed, with a disproportionate number of respondents from British Columbia and Ontario. The survey was only available in English, excluding therapists who are not proficient in it. The research team acknowledged a lack of Indigenous representation in the authorship and used a theoretical model (Culturally Responsive Caring) that they admitted is older and focuses on cultural competence rather than contemporary cultural humility or systemic colonialism. Self-reported data may be subject to bias, particularly regarding confidence levels and knowledge gaps. There was a high number of incomplete responses (64), which may indicate discomfort with the survey questions or time constraints.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the Canadian Occupational Therapy Foundation. The research team acknowledged their positionality as white settler-descent occupational therapists and noted the lack of Indigenous representation in the team.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that high self-reported confidence in building trust (72%) equates to cultural safety or competence. The data shows a significant disconnect between this confidence and actual knowledge of local healing practices (9% aware) and training duration (most had <10 hours).