PLENARY SESSION: Special Interest Groups

Indigenous Access To Care

Krista Hardy, MSc, MD, FRCS(C), FACS
Laparoscopic, Bariatric and General Surgeon
Associate Professor, Section of General Surgery
University of Manitoba
St. Boniface General Hospital

Dr. Hardy completed general surgery residency at the University of Manitoba followed by a Fellowship in Minimally Invasive Surgery at the University of Toronto. Her clinical practice includes bariatric surgery in addition to other advanced laparoscopic techniques. Dr. Hardy’s research focuses on perioperative optimization and outcomes in bariatric surgery. In addition, she has collaborated with local Indigenous academics to develop a decolonized research strategy that explores the Indigenous experience of bariatric surgery. The research team was recently awarded a CIHR grant to create culturally relevant materials for Indigenous bariatric surgery patients. Dr. Hardy serves as the Department of Surgery Graduate Chair for the Faculty of Graduate Studies and is the research lead at the Centre for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. She actively supervises undergraduate students, medical students, surgical residents, surgical fellows and graduate students in their research activities.

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Presenation Overview:

The objective of this presentation is to review the current knowledge regarding Indigenous access to bariatric care. A scoping review of the literature reveals the challenges that Indigenous patients experience accessing care and highlights the gaps in culturally relevant care delivered by existing bariatric programs. Preliminary sharing circle research conducted with Indigenous postoperative patients demonstrates the experience of living with obesity, including  motivations, supports and perceptions of bariatric surgery. The principles of ethical conduct of research with Indigenous communities will be reviewed along with an introduction to ongoing CIHR funded research to develop program materials for Indigenous bariatric surgery patients.