Indigenous people with RA preferred to use a combination of non-pharmacologic (e.g., non-drug related) and pharmacologic (e.g., drug or medication-based) treatments to manage their RA. The non-drug treatments involved physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual approaches. When it came to taking medications, patients had different preferences. Their choices were influenced by clinical factors, such as: their trust in the healthcare providers; and, their understanding of how the drugs work, (benefits, potential side effects, and how easy they were to take). Family support and societal factors, such as access to medications and concerns about being dependent on drugs, also played a role in their decisions.

Communication is the foundation of healthcare. Moving forward, healthcare providers should work hard to help Indigenous patients better understand the effects of RA medications, while also understanding the societal and familial influences of patients’ decisions. Building a strong patient-provider relationship based on trust is also crucial. This can be achieved by healthcare models that prioritize cultural sensitivity, empathy, compassion, openness, acknowledgment, and respect for cultural differences.