Examining Indigenous emergency care equity projects: a scoping review protocol.

Area of Science:

• Indigenous Health
• Health Equity Research
• Emergency Medicine

Background:

• Indigenous peoples globally experience significant disparities in healthcare access and quality.
• Emergency departments serve as a primary point of contact with the healthcare system for many Indigenous individuals.
• Factors contributing to this reliance include limited primary care access and historical mistreatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and analyze interventions addressing emergency care inequities for Indigenous populations.
• To evaluate the successes and failures of these initiatives in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the USA.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search of indexed databases (Medline, Embase, Web of Science, etc.) and grey literature.
• Inclusion criteria focused on interventions within emergency care settings targeting Indigenous health equity.
• Quality appraisal involved analyzing study design and Indigenous research methodologies.

Main Results:

• This section is to be populated upon completion of the review; the protocol outlines the planned analysis.
• The review will map existing interventions and their outcomes.
• Successes and failures will be categorized based on intervention type and reported impact.

Conclusions:

• Emergency departments are critical sites for health equity reform for Indigenous peoples.
• Understanding intervention effectiveness is crucial for advancing Indigenous health scholarship.
• Findings will inform future strategies to reduce health disparities in acute care settings.