Developing an Interprofessional Pediatric Rehabilitation Model of Care in Northern Cree First Nation Communities: Protocol for a Needs Assessment and Codeveloped Intervention With a Qualitative and Participatory Action Approach

Abstract

In Canada, the Indigenous population is the youngest and fastest growing, yet ongoing health disparities for Indigenous peoples are widely recognized. There is a concerning lack of research on childhood disabilities and health conditions in Indigenous populations in Canada. For children with disabilities and chronic health conditions, ongoing access to rehabilitation services, such as occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, and audiology, is critical in promoting positive health and developmental outcomes. Elders and the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation health services board have guided a critical priority for addressing access challenges to pediatric rehabilitation in 3 specific northern Indigenous communities.