A new study released today examines the health and well-being of women living in communities of different degree of remoteness, where the levels of remoteness were determined by the proximity (or distance) of their communities to population centres as a proxy for services accessibility, as well as the population size of these communities. Using the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) from 2015 to 2018, the Canadian Vital Statistics – Death Database from 2015 to 2018 and the updated Remoteness Index Classification, the results of this study show that significant differences existed between women and girls living in more accessible areas versus those in more remote areas. The gaps in health outcomes were larger for Indigenous women and girls living in more remote areas, although it should be noted that for many Indigenous peoples and communities, there are many factors that contribute to the gaps in health outcomes, including availability of traditionally, culturally and spiritually appropriate health services, as well as policies and services to promote general and mental health.
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