Department of Oncology, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Department of Oncology, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Radiation Therapy, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
J Med Imaging Radiat Sci. 2024 Dec;55(4):101723. doi: 10.1016/j.jmir.2024.101723. Epub 2024 Oct 23.
Indigenous peoples in Canada have a higher cancer burden and shorter life expectancy compared to the non-Indigenous population. Canada's colonial legacy has resulted in many Indigenous people experiencing high mistrust in healthcare providers which can result in healthcare avoidance, such as delays seeking preventative care as well as lower screening rates. This may be compounded by language barriers as well as a lack of culturally safe care in healthcare settings. Cultural competency and safety education, which can include cultural immersion methods, has been widely prioritized and implemented in health care and academic institutions. This manuscript reports the results of a pilot cultural immersion experience in an Indigenous community (Maskwacîs, Treaty 6 Territory) for University of Alberta Radiation Therapy Department radiation therapy students and clinical faculty.
This project used the Etuaptmumk or Two-Eyed Seeing approach as the research framework to tie Western methodologies with Indigenous knowledge. The cultural immersion day included a sweat lodge ceremony, a traditional lunch and a sharing circle. Following the event, two focus groups were conducted to gather participants' perspectives. The discussions were transcribed and the data was analysed thematically.
Seven senior radiation therapy students and five faculty members participated in the cultural immersion day. The majority of the feedback from the day was positive. The four main themes that emerged from the focus groups were; (1) enhanced cultural safety, (2) improved peer to peer and peer to educator relationships, (3) responsibility to social accountability, advocacy, and personal growth, and (4) facilitation of a bridge between Western and Indigenous views.
Support for Indigenous patients with cancer and caregivers is essential to improve care in the radiation therapy department. As this pilot project was a success, the cultural immersion day is now a component of the cultural competency and safety training for radiation therapy students at the University of Alberta. However, more opportunities are needed for staff to consistently facilitate and foster culturally safe care for Indigenous patients undergoing radiation therapy.
与非原住民相比，加拿大的原住民癌症负担更高，预期寿命更短。加拿大的殖民遗产导致许多原住民对医疗服务提供者非常不信任，这可能导致他们避免医疗保健，例如延迟寻求预防保健以及降低筛查率。这可能因语言障碍以及医疗保健环境中缺乏文化安全护理而加剧。文化能力和安全培训，包括文化沉浸方法，已在医疗保健和学术机构中得到广泛优先考虑和实施。本手稿报告了阿尔伯塔大学放射治疗系放射治疗学生和临床教师在一个原住民社区（Maskwacîs，条约 6 领土）进行的文化沉浸体验的试点结果。
该项目使用 Etuaptmumk 或双眼观察方法作为研究框架，将西方方法与原住民知识联系起来。文化沉浸日包括一个桑拿仪式、传统午餐和分享圈。活动结束后，进行了两次焦点小组讨论以收集参与者的观点。讨论内容被转录，数据进行了主题分析。
七名高级放射治疗学生和五名教师参加了文化沉浸日。当天的反馈大多是积极的。从焦点小组中出现的四个主要主题是：（1）增强文化安全性，（2）改善同伴与同伴和同伴与教育者的关系，（3）对社会责任、宣传和个人成长的责任，以及（4）促进西方和原住民观点之间的桥梁。
支持癌症患者和护理人员的原住民是改善放射治疗部门护理的关键。由于这个试点项目取得了成功，文化沉浸日现在是阿尔伯塔大学放射治疗学生文化能力和安全培训的一部分。然而，还需要更多机会让工作人员持续促进和培养接受放射治疗的原住民患者的文化安全护理。
