Postoperative outcomes for Indigenous Peoples in Canada: a systematic review – CMAJ

Jason A. McVicar, Alana Poon, Nadine R. Caron, M. Dylan Bould, Jason W. Nickerson, Nora Ahmad, Donna May Kimmaliardjuk, Chelsey Sheffield, Caitlin Champion and Daniel I. McIsaac

Background: Substantial health inequities exist for Indigenous Peoples in Canada. The remote and distributed population of Canada presents unique challenges for access to and use of surgery. To date, the surgical outcome data for Indigenous Peoples in Canada have not been synthesized.

Methods: We searched 4 databases to identify studies comparing surgical outcomes and utilization rates of adults of First Nations, Inuit or Métis identity with non-Indigenous people in Canada. Independent reviewers completed all stages in duplicate. Our primary outcome was mortality; secondary outcomes included utilization rates of surgical procedures, complications and hospital length of stay. We performed meta-analysis of the primary outcome using random effects models. We assessed risk of bias using the ROBINS-I tool.

Read More: https://www.cmaj.ca/content/193/20/E713