Episode 39: Rheumatoid Arthritis in First Nations People - with Dr. Hani El-Gabalawy

On this special Indigenous Episode of Around the Rheum, Dr. Brent Ohata welcomes Dr. Hani El-Gabalawy. 

In this fascinating and thoughtful conversation, they discuss Dr El-Gabalawy's groundbreaking work in Manitoba with a unique cohort of at-risk First Nations family members of patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) who are being followed longitudinally for the earliest evidence of RA onset. As well as what that research has revealed, this conversation focuses on some really important best practices in working with First Nations communities.

Dr. Hani El-Gabalawy is a Professor of Medicine and Immunology, a senior clinician-scientist, and Endowed Rheumatology Research Chair at the University of Manitoba. He delivered the Dunlop-Dottridge Lecture on Indigenous Health at the 2024 Canadian Rheumatology Association (CRA) Annual Scientific Meeting.

Dr. Ohata is a clinical assistant professor of rheumatology at the University of British Columbia. He is passionate about health equity and Indigenous health, and has established outreach rheumatology clinics to the Carrier Sekani First Nations as well as the downtown eastside in Vancouver. 

If you have questions you would like answered by the experts, please get in touch through the CRA Twitter account (@crascrrheum) or by email (Info@rheum.ca).

And for future Medical Mysteries episodes, please get in touch if you have challenging cases you want to present on the podcast!

A special thank you to the podcast team, Dr. Dax G. Rumsey (CRA Communications Committee Chair), Dr. Daniel Ennis (Host), Dr. Brent Ohata (host), David McGuffin (Producer, Explore Podcast Productions), and Erin Stewart (Marketing and Communications Director, CRA) for leading production. Our theme music was composed by Aaron Fontwell. 

For more on the work of the Canadian Rheumatology Association, visit www.rheum.ca or check out our X (Twitter) account - @CRASCRRheum