Aboriginal health

Cree Health Survey 2003, Canadian Community Health Survey, Cycle 2.1, Iiyiyiu Aschii: Health status, life expectancy and limitation of activities

The survey was conducted during the summer of 2003 using a representative sample of residents aged 12 and older from the nine communities in Iiyiyiu Aschii: Chisasibi, Eastmain, Mistissini, Nemaska, Oujé- Bougoumou, Waskaganish, Waswanipi, Wemindji, and Whapmagoostui.

  • One out of six Iiyiyiu Aschii residents reports himself or herself to be in “fair or poor” health.
  • Life expectancy at birth of Iiyiyiu Aschii residents is two years less than that of residents of the rest of Quebec (77.2 vs. 79.2 years). The difference is slightly more than 3 years between women of both regions (78.7 vs. 81.9 years).
  • More than half (57 %) of Iiyiyiu Aschii residents reported a long-term health problem. The five main problems reported in 2003 were hypertension, non food-related allergies, diabetes, back problems and migraine headaches.
  • The prevalence of some of the main chronic health problems reported increased between 1991 and 2003:
    • Asthma, bron…

Cree Health Survey 2003, Canadian Community Health Survey, Cycle 2.1, Iiyiyiu Aschii: Survey methods

This publication presents the findings of a health survey carried out in 2003 among households of Iiyiyiu Aschii1. A similar survey had been undertaken in the region by Santé Québec in 1991 (Santé Québec, 1994). Ten years later, the Public Health Department of the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay (CBHSSJB) urgently required a new picture of its population’s state of health. The purpose of the 2003 survey was to gather up-to-date information on the region’s main health problems and related factors in order to improve the planning, administration, and evaluation of various social and health programs.

According to the 2001 Public Health Act (Loi sur la santé publique), Quebec’s public health departments must periodically assess the health of their respective populations. Since 2000-2001, the province’s sociosanitary regions – with the exception of Iiyiyiu Aschii and Nunavik – have participated in the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) conducted by Stat…

Cree Health Survey 2003, Canadian Community Health Survey, Cycle 2.1, Iiyiyiu Aschii: Preventive practices and changes for improving health

This publication presents the findings of a health survey carried out in 2003 among households of Iiyiyiu Aschii. A similar survey had been undertaken in the region by Santé Québec in 1991 (Santé Québec, 1994). Ten years later, the Public Health Department of the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay (CBHSSJB) urgently required a new picture of its population's state of health. The purpose of the 2003 survey was to gather upto-date information on the region's main health problems and related factors in order to improve the planning, administration, and evaluation of various social and health programs.

The survey was conducted during the summer of 2003 using a representative sample of residents aged 12 and older from the nine communities in Iiyiyiu Aschii: Chisasibi, Eastmain, Mistissini, Nemaska, Oujé- Bougoumou, Waskaganish, Waswanipi, Wemindji, and Whapmagoostui.

The first section of this publication pertains to pregnancy-oriented practices adopted…

Cree Health Survey 2003, Canadian Community Health Survey, Cycle 2.1, Iiyiyiu Aschii: Mental health

The survey was conducted during the summer of 2003 using a representative sample of residents aged 12 and older from the nine communities in Iiyiyiu Aschii: Chisasibi, Eastmain, Mistissini, Nemaska, Oujé- Bougoumou, Waskaganish, Waswanipi, Wemindji, and Whapmagoostui.

  • The prevalence of mental disorders in Iiyiyiu Aschii is 4.7% for mood disorders and 2.9%* for anxiety disorders. Theses rates are similar to those noted elsewhere in Quebec.
  • A slight majority of residents (53%) reported being in “excellent or very good” mental health while another 39% reported being in “good” mental health, and 8% in “fair or poor” mental health. Having a positive perception of one’s mental health seems to be linked to age, education, physical health and spiritual beliefs.
  • More residents from inland communities than coastal reported being in “poor” mental health and/or having consulted a health professional for a mental problem. It is unclear whether this stems from a…

Nunavik Inuit Health Survey 2004 : Nutrition and food consumption among the Inuit of Nunavik

Over the last decade, significant changes in food consumption patterns have occurred in the traditional Inuit diet, especially since communication and transportation with southern regions were improved. Similar situations have been observed among other Aboriginal populations and it seems that Aboriginal people are vulnerable to nutritional inadequacy and are facing significant increases in nutrition-related health problems. Improving health outcomes for the Inuit population is a priority for public health and addressing this priority involves the surveillance of dietary intakes, nutritional status, dietary attitudes and behaviours, as well as food security. The Nunavik Inuit Health Survey conducted in 2004 allowed for the collection of reliable and up-to-date information about the Inuit diet and for the verification of changes in consumption patterns over the last decade.

In 1992, the Santé Québec health survey revealed that the contribution of country foods to energy intake…

Nunavik Inuit Health Survey 2004 : Survey Highlights

The Inuit communities of Nunavik have experienced profound change in every aspect of their lives over the last few decades. As contact with more southerly regions increased, the Inuit changed their living habits, adopting a more sedentary lifestyle, modern living conditions and new eating habits. The survey conducted by Santé Québec in 1992 demonstrated that these changes had an impact on the health status of this population. Ten years later, the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services (NRBHSS) deemed it important to make plans for a new survey in its region to monitor the evolution of the health status and state of well-being of its population.

Thanks to the collaboration of a number of professionals from the health network and the university milieu, 17 theme papers, a nutrition report, and a methodological report were produced in the context of the survey. The information gathered enabled a profile to be compiled of the health status and state of well-being of…

Contextual Study of Mental Health Services in the Cree Iiyiyiu Aschii

  • The CBHSSJB has for the past several years identified mental health as an intervention priority.
  • The lack of infrastructures within the community for individuals in crisis situations, the lack of supervised accommodation for clients suffering from severe mental health problems and the housing shortage for personnel all contribute to an increased frequency of transporting clients outside of Iiyiyiu Aschii and add to the risk of clients becoming lost in the system.
  • Youth and women must be identified as priority target groups by the MHP. All individuals suffering from severe mental health problems would benefit from improved follow-up aimed at social reintegration.
  • Several factors affect the mental health of the Eenou, including absence of cultural continuity, lack of housing, drug and alcohol use, widespread prevalence of chronic illness and lack of activities. A mental health program must adopt a global approach to intervening in these areas.

Nunavik Inuit Health Survey 2004 : Status of Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes in Nunavik

Initial observational studies presented the Inuit as a population particularly protected against cardiovascular diseases (CVD), the plague of developed countries. However, because of the abandonment of traditional lifestyles, and the high prevalence of some risk factors (such as smoking 73% and obesity 19%), conclusions from the 1992 Santé Québec health survey of the Inuit population from Nunavik anticipated an increase in CVD. Twelve years later, the Nunavik Inuit Health Survey 2004 produced a new portrait of the health of this Inuit population in order to determine, among other health conditions, the prevalence of CVD and diabetes as well as their corresponding risk factors, and to assess the evolution of these health outcomes since 1992.

In this major health study, 1056 Inuit (men and women) in the 14 Nunavik communities were recruited and accepted to participate. The ensuing results are from 925 participants (aged 18 and over) who answered the clinical questionnaire, pro…

Nunavik Inuit Health Survey 2004 : Physical Activity, Anthropometry and Perception of Body Weight

Physical activity

The physical demands associated with daily activity have decreased considerably during the 20th century, particularly in industrialized countries, and Aboriginal populations living in these regions have not been spared from this phenomenon. Thus, as is the case for the rest of the population, leisure time physical activity has become an important avenue for maintaining a desirable level of physical activity.

The vast majority of the Nunavik population, especially women, is sedentary during their free time, and this is true regardless of age for both genders (15-17 years: 59% and 18 years and over: 69%). Less than one person in seven (14%) among those aged 15 to 17 years, and one out of five (18%) among people aged 18 years and over, achieve the recommended level of physical activity through leisure time physical activity. This situation, in large part associated with the significant cultural and climatic differences between this pop…

Nunavik Inuit Health Survey 2004 : Epidemiological Portrait of Physical Violence and Property Offences in Nunavik

Many Inuit community members have expressed their concern over increased violence in Nunavik homes and streets. Yet little is known about the actual prevalence of violent behaviour. The objective of this summary is to provide current data on physical violence, the characteristics of adults who are affected by violence, and the origin of perpetrators among the Inuit of Nunavik. Descriptive data on property offences are also provided.

During the course of the Nunavik Inuit Health Survey in fall 2004, a total of 969 individuals over the age of 15 completed a confidential questionnaire with questions relating to physical and community violence. Among both men and women, 53% reported having been physically abused and 46% reported having been a victim of property damage during the year prior to the survey. The likelihood of being affected by physical violence during adulthood is relatively high for both men and women, as well as for young adults and older people, though women and…