Culturally Safe Nutrition Counselling for Caldwell First Nation Older Adults with Type 2 Diabetes

Author(s): Dr. Munira Sultana, Antoinette Chandler, Dalia Elmais, Danica McPhee, Amanda Willms, Nabil El Hage, Dr. Vikesh Maraj

Indigenous older adults in North America face a disproportionately high burden of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. The study site, Erie Shores HealthCare, is situated on the land that is traditionally associated with the Three Fires Confederacy of First Nations, which includes the Ojibwa, Odawa, and Potawatomi nations, as well as the ancestral and unceded territory of the Caldwell First Nation (CFN). The hospital provides nutrition counselling through a mobile medical unit bringing primary and preventative care to the doorsteps of the CFN communities in a manner that fosters follow-through and community partnerships. Our research, a collaborative effort with the community, aimed to gain a deeper understanding of CFN members' perspectives on adherence to nutrition counselling. The informants articulated multifaceted interconnections between food access, cultural identity, health system barriers, and the everyday realities of living with a chronic illness. Dominant themes include a yearning for appropriate education and nutritional information - specifically culturally sensitive but also western. Another overwhelming theme, predictably, is lack of access to medical resources. Even the basics like glucose monitoring equipment seem to be lacking - despite robust health coverage for these items. This study is hopefully the first step in facilitating to create a positive impact, as the findings may encourage clinicians to develop culturally sensitive nutrition counselling education materials that are relatable to the Three Fires Confederacy of First Nations.