Creating conditions for Canadian aboriginal health equity: the promise of healthy public policy

First Nations Health Authority Origins The lands in BC have been populated by the ancestors of First Nations since time immemorial. Oral Traditions across what has become British Columbia (BC) relate multiple Origin stories describing how the ancestors of BC First Nations peoples came into being. These stories often involve supernatural beings, animals and people in the founding of Tribes and lineages, as well as the creation of landforms and the foundation of customary law. Varying according to region and culture, First Nations generally practiced a mix of hunting, fishing and gathering foods. Also, they manufactured goods from local and imported sources.

Health Canada knew of massive gaps in First Nations child health care, documents show Health Canada officials were sent scrambling after a landmark human rights ruling last year that found the federal government discriminated against First Nation children by underfunding services for First Nation children, according to internal correspondence provided to CBC News. The Health Canada documents reveal the department knew it faced serious shortfalls in the level of health services provided to First Nations children and was unprepared to implement changes prescribed by the human rights ruling. The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruled in January 2016 that Ottawa discriminated against First Nation children by underfunding on-reserve child welfare services and by failing to apply Jordan's Principle, which places the needs of First Nations children ahead of jurisdictional disputes between governments. The correspondence said Health Canada wasn't equipped to assess children with special needs, and faced gaps in mental health services and health support for children in care.

Canada’s Biggest Health Problem: Indigenous Health Alison Reiheld calls attention to André Picard’s assertion that Indigenous health is currently the most urgent issue in Canada. In a recent interview in Chatelaine with André Picard, a well-known Canadian health columnist for the Globe and Mail, Picard discusses the deficits and merits of Canada’s healthcare system. For anyone working on Canadian healthcare or on health policy anywhere, it is worth reading. Mental Wellness and Substance Use Why is this important? When it comes to mental wellness, BC First Nations deserve the best care and support services. That’s why FNHA works with communities to deliver programs and services - such as treatment centres, counselling and crisis lines - and with partners across the province to address service gaps.

Racism in health care is 'a real thing,' says Indigenous physician The president of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada says racism in health care can have 'very real and sometimes negative' consequences. Recently, an Inuvialuit woman from Aklavik, N.W.T., said her uncle died from the effects of a stroke after health care staff mistook the signs of the stroke for drunkenness. Inuvialuit woman says uncle's stroke mistaken for drunkenness Dr. Alika Lafontaine, an anesthesiologist in northern Alberta and the president of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada, spoke with Lawrence Nayally of CBC Radio's Trail's End about the racism and discrimination Indigenous people face in Canada's health care system. The following interview has been edited and condensed.

8 key issues for Indigenous Peoples in Canada Eight of the key issues that are of greatest concern for Indigenous Peoples in Canada are complex and inexorably intertwined - so much so that government, researchers, policy makers and Indigenous leaders seem hamstrung by the enormity. It is hard to isolate just one issue as being the worst. The Indian Act greatly contributes to these eight issues and more. Be sure to read this article 21 things about the Indian Act, if you want to know the intent and extent of the Act. Indigenous Health Issues in Canada In recognition of National Aboriginal Day, Indigenous Works sheds light on startling statistics and the social determinants of health plaguing Canada’s Indigenous people. Years of research has revealed that Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) in Canada suffer a greater percentage of serious health issues than the rest of the population. This does not come as a shock to our healthcare providers in hospitals and medical centres across the country, but may be a surprising revelation to the general population. There have been strides made on the part of many Indigenous communities to improve education around health issues, but despite these improvements, Indigenous people remain at higher risk for illness and earlier death than non-Indigenous people.

Closing the Gaps in Aboriginal Health (ARCHIVED) - Government of Canada website outlining the research of the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB) We have archived this page and will not be updating it. You can use it for research or reference. Health Canada 2003 ISSN 1499-3503 (Online) Care of vulnerable populations Vulnerable populations are defined as groups who are at increased risk of receiving a disparity in medical care on the basis of financial circumstances or social characteristics such as age, race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, spirituality, disability, or socioeconomic or insurance status. Hospitalists may play a significant role in influencing the health status, health care access, and health care delivery to vulnerable populations due to their higher rates of hospital utilization and lower access to outpatient care. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) estimates health expenditures due to low health literacy range from $29 billion to $69 billion per year.