Culturally responsive occupational therapy practice with First Nations Peoples—A scoping review

Introduction

First Nations Peoples consistently demonstrate strength and resilience in navigating systemic health care inequities. Acknowledging racism as a health determinant underscores the urgent need for a counterforce—cultural safety. Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA) contends that with cultural responsiveness, the health workforce can take action to create a culturally safe environment.

Objective

To explore features of culturally responsive occupational therapy (OT) practice when providing a service with First Nations People and examine alignment of those features with the IAHA Cultural Responsiveness in Action Framework.

Design

A systematic scoping review was undertaken using CINAHL, Emcare, MEDLINE, PsychInfo and Scopus databases. Examples of culturally responsive OT practice with First Nations Peoples were mapped to the six IAHA Framework capabilities and confirmed by First Nations co-authors.

Findings

OT practice with First Nations Peoples aligned with the six capabilities to varying degrees. The importance of OTs establishing relationships with First Nations People, applying self-reflection to uncover cultural biases, and addressing limitations of the profession's Western foundations was evident.

Discussion

Recognising the interrelatedness of the six capabilities, the absence of some may result in a culturally unsafe experience for First Nations People. OTs must acknowledge the leadership of First Nations Peoples by privileging their voices and consider how established practices may reinforce oppressive systems.

Conclusion

To ensure a culturally safe environment for First Nations People, the OT profession must respect the leadership of First Nations Peoples and address the limitations of the profession's Western foundations to uphold the profession's core value of client-centred care.