Joint & Bone Initiative

Program Objectives

MSK disorders are the second most common cause of disability worldwide (1) and they will impact over 15 million Canadians by 2030 (2-4). Arthritis, one of the main MSK disease categories, is prevalent in nearly 2 times more Indigenous adults than non-Indigenous adults (5-6), yet Indigenous populations have lower use of specialized services for arthritis and higher hospitalization rates (7). In its second 5-year term, BJI leaders are committed to reach out to and collaborate with Indigenous Peoples to improve lifelong mobility through MSK health and reconciliation learning and action.

Aim of GEt'S-IT

Raise awareness and build capacity by interrogating taken-for-granted assumptions, and engaging in reflection and unlearning towards more equitable, diverse, inclusive, and decolonized research and training.

Overarching Goals

Enhance BJI members’ perspectives and understanding of Indigenous histories, ways of knowing and land-based learning;

Develop relationships with key stakeholders to set concrete and relevant goals related to learning and cultural competency within the BJI membership;

Empower researchers/educators to be more empathetic and aware of our responsibility to conduct research ethically;

Help decolonize BJI’s research training curricula; and

Support the goal of reclaiming participants’ rights in research and teaching.  

Objective 1

(Jan 2021 – Aug 2021)

Develop BJI in-house ALLIES with foundational knowledge and capacity to support learning and to begin the decolonization of BJI programs and activities. 

Objective 2

(Aug 2021 – Dec 2021)

Create new PARTNERSHIPS to enhance knowledge and explore ways to incorporate Indigenous ways of knowing in BJI – so they can be valued as equal to academic approaches to knowing and creating knowledge.

Objective 3

(Sept 2021 – Dec 2021)

Build a GUIDE for BJI members to learn and engage our colleagues and trainees to conduct more CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE and RESPECTFUL RESEARCH with Indigenous community partners.

Anticipated outcomes: 

  • a group of 5-10 BJI members with personal/professional reflection experiences that enriches their perspectives and understanding of Indigenous histories, ways of knowing, and land-based learning. They will facilitate discussions and critical reflection to incorporate Indigenous approaches into BJI research initiatives – building capacity and impact potential; 
  • established relationships with key Indigenous and non-Indigenous stakeholders to support the ongoing identification of learning needs and mutual interests as well as to share expertise to decolonize MSK research and training; 
  • a set of concrete and relevant goals with an evaluation strategy in place for GEt’S-IT related to empowering researchers/educators to be more empathic and aware of their responsibilities to conduct research ethically and support participants’ rights in research; 
  • supports in place to better align proposals with public funding agencies’ Indigenized research programs; and 
  • a collection of lessons-learned and experiences to share with Western colleagues who are interested in getting started with Indigenous research training in their departments/units.

(1) Hoy, Damian G., et al. “Reflecting on the Global Burden of Musculoskeletal Conditions: Lessons Learnt from the Global Burden of Disease 2010 Study and the Next Steps Forward.” Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases., vol. 74, no. 1, BMJ Pub Group, Jan. 2015, pp. 4–7, doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2014-205393.

(2) MacDonald, Karen V., et al. “Symptom Onset, Diagnosis and Management of Osteoarthritis.” Health Reports, vol. 25, no. 9, Statistics Canada, Sept. 2014, pp. 10–17. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-003-x/2014009/article/14087-eng.pdf

(3) Sharif, B., et al. “Projecting the Direct Cost Burden of Osteoarthritis in Canada Using a Microsimulation Model.” Osteoarthritis Cartilage, vol. 23, no. 10, Oct. 2015, pp. 1654–63, doi:10.1016/j.joca.2015.05.029.

(4) Public Health Agency of Canada. Economic Burden of Illness in Canada, 2010. https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/publications/science-research/economic-burden-illness-canada-2010/economic-burden-illness-canada-2010.pdf

(5) Barnabe, Cheryl, et al. “Imbalance of Prevalence and Specialty Care for Osteoarthritis for First Nations People in Alberta, Canada.” The Journal of Rheumatology., vol. 42, no. 2, Journal of Rheumatology Pub Co,, Feb. 2015, pp. 323–28, doi:10.3899/jrheum.140551.

(6) Public Health Agency of Canada. Key Health Inequalities in Canada: A National Portrait, 2018. https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/publications/science-research/key-health-inequalities-canada-national-portrait-executive-summary/key_health_inequalities_full_report-eng.pdf

(7) Loyola-Sanchez, Adalberto, et al. “Healthcare Utilization for Arthritis by Indigenous Populations of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States: A Systematic Review☆.” Semin Arthritis Rheum, vol. 46, no. 5, Apr. 2017, pp. 665–74, doi:10.1016/j.semarthrit.2016.10.011.