How systemic racism results in poorer outcomes for First Nations, and what First Nations are doing about it: the example of kidney health.

backgroundEnd-stage kidney disease continues to disproportionally impact the lives of First Nations peoples. Systemic racism is a key determinant, and manifests as differential access to determinants of health (housing, employment, access to care) and differential care. This paper discusses how different models of primary healthcare operating in rural and remote Manitoba communities results in different outcomes for patients identified as being at risk of kidney disease.

methodsThis study is a partnership between researchers from the First Nations Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba and the University of Manitoba. We used health administrative data held at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy for the period of 2006-2019, linked to the Manitoba First Nations Research File to identify First Nations. We compared rates of laboratory follow-up tests, nephrology consults, PHC visits, and hospitalizations between different models of care using a negative binomial regression model adjusted for age, sex, eGFR heat-map category, urine ACR heat-map category, and Elixhauser comorbidity index.

resultsWe identified 12,613 First Nations people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) during the study period. First Nations individuals with CKD who reside in communities served by Nursing Stations (most remote communities) when supplemented by additional Indigenous programs were consistently more likely to receive follow-up serum creatinine (OR 1.37, 95% CI: 1.30-1.45, p<0.001), urine ACR (OR 1.22, 95% CI: 1.16-1.28, p<0.001), serum potassium (OR 1.40, 95% CI: 1.32-1.49, p<0.001) than individuals who lived in communities served by Nursing Stations alone, Health Centres, Health Offices, or Off Reserve.

conclusionsOur results show that addressing the rise in premature mortality experienced by First Nations from kidney diseases require greater investments in First Nations-centric primary healthcare, that is locally managed. Additionally, off-reserve primary healthcare services must be alerted to their need to better address the needs of First Nations at risk of CKD, with more consistent follow up, referrals, and in providing culturally safe care. Finally, First Nations-led research in kidney health and primary healthcare is leading to significant improvements in outcomes, and needs to be better supported and resourced, and imbedded in a context of greater investments to improve access to all determinants of health and counter systemic racism.