Suffering from back pain or neck pain is not fun, but when you live in an urban center, there are numerous treatment options to choose from. But what about people with musculoskeletal problems living in remote communities, where accessing healthcare is challenging? "Our goal is to address this limited access issue by implementing a model of care for spine disorders and associated disabilities in underserved communities in northern Canada and around the world," says Dr. André Bussières, professor in the department of chiropractic at Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR).
The loss of productivity caused by back and neck pain combined with the assessment and treatment of these problems is a major expense for governments around the world. In Canada, this represents spending of over $ 16 billion and in the United States, $ 100 billion-USD each year.
The initiative led by the UQTR researcher and his colleague Dr. Steven Passmore from the University of Manitoba, will validate a model of spinal care in the Indigenous community of Pimicikamak (Cross Lake First Nation), Manitoba, Canada. Their proposal is part of the Global Spine Care Initiative (GSCI), which aims to work with underserved communities around the world.
The implementation of the GSCI model of care in the community of Pimicikamak is part of a larger project, comprising four phases and involving an international team of researchers and partners from France, England, the United States, Botswana, and India.
For more information
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