Lívia Gaspar Fernandes PhD Candidate, Assistant Research Fellow, University of Otago, Wellington, NZ
Lívia Gaspar Fernandes is a Brazilian physiotherapist doing her PhD at the University of Otago, Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand. She develops collaborative and participatory research to explore chronic pain narratives, representation and symbolization with Māori, the Indigenous peoples of Aotearoa. Her research focuses on health equity and is underpinned by critical frameworks, aiming to bring diversity to the discourses and understandings of pain. She has previous experience in rehabilitation within humanitarian contexts, which has nurtured her curiosity for the interface between culture and pain, as well as experiential learning. Her work is permeated by stories of connections and reflections about how spaces of care can be intentionally shaped to promote safety.
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Broadfoot Trust Presentation
Indigenous experiences and worldviews offer valuable insights to transform health service delivery and advance health equity. In the field of chronic pain, Indigenous knowledge is often overlooked or is not incorporated into management and treatment strategies available in and endorsed by mainstream healthcare. In Aotearoa New Zealand, this means that meaningful exploration of concepts such as, but not limited to, tīkanga, whanaungatanga, whānau, whenua, whakapapa and wairua in collaboration with Māori with chronic pain is not always part of a clinical consultation. However, agendas that are not inclusive of Indigenous experiences and worldviews may impede engagement by Indigenous peoples. We completed an integrative review to gain insight into what is valued in terms of care and chronic pain management, as reported by Indigenous peoples. The review findings are thought-provoking, suggesting health professionals require curiosity to explore and understand the complexities of living with chronic pain for Indigenous people and communities.
