Improving Palliative Care Services in a BC First Nation

However, there are still significant barriers that remain that make it difficult for the community to provide its surging palliative care population with optimal care. Indigenous patients already experience unique social, cultural and economic barriers to accessing quality healthcare, including palliative care.

The modern day effects of colonialism, Indian hospitals, and residential schools are demonstrated through the health inequities present in Indigenous communities. Indigenous patients are more likely to have a chronic health condition such as diabetes, cancer, and have complications sooner that leads them to pursue palliative care. For many Indigenous communities, death is not just a physical process, but a social and spiritual event.