Study: The health of First Nations living off-reserve, Inuit and Métis adults

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First Nations living off-reserve, Inuit and Métis adults aged 20 or older were less likely to report being in excellent or very good health and were more likely to report at least one activity limitation than were non-Aboriginal adults.

First Nations (off-reserve) and Métis adults were also more likely than non-Aboriginal adults to be diagnosed with one of several chronic conditions including arthritis, diabetes, heart problems and cancer. On the other hand, Inuit adults were equally or less likely to be diagnosed with such conditions.

Close to 60% of non-Aboriginal adults reported excellent or very good health, a greater proportion than reported by First Nations living off-reserve (51%), Métis (57%) or Inuit (49%) adults. Furthermore, almost three-quarters of non-Aboriginal adults reported no activity limitation, compared with 58% of First Nations living off-reserve, 59% of Métis, and 64% of Inuit adults.

These health gaps between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal adults were even more pronounced when the younger average age structure of the Aboriginal population was taken into account.

In many cases, First Nations living off-reserve, Inuit and Métis adults reported poorer health than non-Aboriginal adults even when the effects of differences in socio-economic characteristics, in health care access and in lifestyle risk factors were accounted for.

This study also showed that factors associated with health among non-Aboriginal adults were not necessarily the same factors that affect the health of Aboriginal people, nor do these factors have the same effect on health.

In the non-Aboriginal population aged 20 or older, men had significantly higher rates of diabetes than women. By contrast, the likelihood of being diagnosed with diabetes did not differ between men and women for First Nations living off-reserve, Métis or Inuit adults.

The factors that affect health differ for First Nations living off-reserve, Métis and Inuit adults. Such differences highlight the importance of examining these groups separately.

Note: This study was based on data from the 2006 Aboriginal Peoples Survey and the 2007 Canadian Community Health Survey (cycle 4.1). The study was limited to adults aged 20 and older from both surveys.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey numbers, including related surveys, 3226 and 3250.

The report, "The Health of First Nations Living Off-Reserve, Inuit, and Métis Adults in Canada: The Impact of Socio-economic Status on Inequalities in Health," is now available as part of the Health Research Working Paper Series (82-622-X2010004, free). From the Key resource module of our website, choose Publications. For more information about this article, contact Claudia Sanmartin (613-951-6059; claudia.sanmartin@statcan.gc.ca), Health Analysis Division.

Today's online release also includes "Acute-care hospitalizations and Aboriginal identity in Canada, 2001/2002," is now available as part of the Health Research Working Paper Series (82-622-X2010005, free). From the Key resource module of our website, choose Publications.

By assigning 2001 Census data for small geographical areas to hospital discharge records from the 2001/2002 Hospital Morbidity Database, this report provides estimates of morbidity serious enough to require hospitalization. Acute care hospitalizations of people living in areas with a relatively high percentage of Aboriginal residents are compared with hospitalizations of residents of areas where the percentage of Aboriginal residents is low. Variations by predominant Aboriginal identity in these areas (First Nations, Métis and Inuit populations) are also explored.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 3203.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Gisèle Carrière (toll-free 604-666-5907; gisele.carriere@statcan.gc.ca), Health Analysis Division.