Grant: Planning and Dissemination Grant - Institute Community Support

Indigenous Peoples in Canada face a disproportionately higher rate of chronic pain (CP) and other health issues compared to settlers. Improving equitable access to chronic pain care requires resources that are culturally safe and reflect Indigenous Knowledges. Many virtual resources have been developed to improve the management of chronic pain in Canada, but until recently, none reflected the integration of Indigenous worldviews in relationship to chronic pain and healing. The overall goal of this project is to advance the co-development of the Indigenous pillar of the Power Over Pain Portal, an online Portal providing a range of chronic pain, mental health, and substance use resources (i.e., videos, courses, peer support, and workshops) for people who live with pain, to improve chronic pain care with and for First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Peoples in Canada. This will be done through sharing knowledge and experience for chronic pain resource co-development following a Two-Eyed Seeing approach, and mobilizing resources recently co-developed with Grand Council Treaty #3 (Anishinaabek Peoples). We will (1) conduct an environmental scan to identify relevant programs, resources, and teams working to advance chronic pain care with Indigenous communities across Canada and (2) faciliatate a 1-day Gathering, bringing together Indigenous and settler clinicians, researchers, and policy makers, along with First Nations, Inuit, and Metis with lived experience of chronic pain. A final report documenting progress and future directions will be shared through our extensive network of partners to galvanize further resource co-development, adaptation, and implementation.