According to a 2003 Health Canada report, suicide was the leading cause of death among Aboriginal individuals under the age of 45, accounting for 23% of all deaths in this at-risk population. While previous research has explored many potential risk factors for suicide among Aboriginal populations, none have considered the Métis population independent of other Aboriginal groups. Additionally, there have been no studies explicitly examining the relationship between family context and suicidality among either of these populations; this is the primary relationship of interest in this project. Data used for this project was taken from the 2006 Aboriginal Peoples Survey (APS). The APS is a national cross-sectional survey of 61,041 First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. Within the APS, family context was constructed using several variables including parental divorce, childhood adoption, number of siblings, etc. Analyses for this project included a multi-stage process consisting of bivariate and multivariable analyses. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was separated by gender and examined those aged 25-54. Results showed that that for women, renting versus owning your home, the death of sibling under age 2, or being removed by a child welfare agency, the church, or government officials was significantly associated with suicidal ideation. For men, unemployment, living in the community of origin, death of a sibling under age 2, and participating in traditional craftwork all significantly associated with suicidal ideation. Not graduating from high school and unemployment were significantly associated with suicide attempts for men or women when controlling for all other demographic, family context, and culture variables within the final model. As has been the case in previous research surrounding culture, several of the results in the bivariate analysis of this project were counterintuitive (Wilson & Rosenberg, 2002). This shows that nuanced and contextual interpretations are critical, and a space is opened with this research to critically consider what exactly is being captured through the survey measures. I argue that the strength of the linkage between a measure and its conceptual basis becomes increasingly tenuous and problematic as the complexity of the circumstance the measure is attempting to capture increases.

INTRODUCTION: Canada’s Aboriginal population is growing at a faster rate than the rest of Canada. While Aboriginal health has improved in the last few decades, life expectancy of First Nations, Inuit and Métis continues to be lower compared to the rest of the Canadian population. Furthermore, current Aboriginal health research tends to focus on those living onreserves while more than half of the Aboriginal population currently resides in urban areas. Despite the importance of neighbourhood factors for understanding health in urban areas, the importance of neighbourhood characteristic for urban Aboriginal health has yet to be examined. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the research was, to determine both individual-level predictors and neighbourhood-level predictors of self-rated health and diagnosis of chronic conditions, amongst Aboriginal populations living in the City of Toronto; and to determine whether and how neighbourhood-level predictors influence individual-level predictors of self-rated health and diagnosis of a chronic conditions in Toronto neighbourhoods with Aboriginal populations living in them. METHODS: This study was a secondary analysis of two samples from the 2006 Aboriginal people Survey, consisting of 1080 and 500 Aboriginal individuals in the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area. A series of logistic regressions models were created to identify individual and neighbourhood predictors of “poor” self-rated health and having one or more diagnosed chronic condition(s). RESULTS: A best fitting model was derived from the individual-level variables to include the demographic variables age, gender and Aboriginal status; and the socio-economic variables average household income, education level and employment status. While neighbourhood-level variables had no significant influence in predicting either health outcome, there was some evidence to suggest influence over individual-level predictors. To further examine this relation, neighbourhoods were stratified based on income inequality, average household income and availability of Aboriginal specific services. This analysis yielded some different effects of individual-level variables for different neighbourhood types, suggesting that some effects of neighbourhood characteristics may interact with individual characteristics to influence health. CONCLUSION: While contextual factors have some effect on self-rated health, individual factors serve as stronger predictors of individual health. However, more neighbourhood level studies should be considered in order to better understand the growing urban Aboriginal population and potential ecological effects on health.

The current state of Aboriginal health is of national concern. Aboriginal people as a population do not have the same level of health as other Canadians. There has been a long history of providing health care based on Eurocentric (Western) ideology that has not taken into account Aboriginal peoples perspective. There is limited research to provide insight toward understanding how Aboriginal people understand, define, and address their health concerns. <p> This study used the Kaupapa Maori Philosophy/Methodology to define health from a Plains Cree (Indigenous) perspective. A qualitative descriptive research study was done in Thunderchild First Nation. A combination of purposeful and convenience snowball sampling was utilized to select 14 participants to reach saturation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven open-ended questions to facilitate elaborations during the interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data, and then the data was categorized using the Medicine Wheel. <p>Four broad themes were derived from the data. Health was consistently described in relation to physical, emotional, intellectual (mental), and spiritual wellness. Collectively there does appear to be a holistic perception of health, similar to the teachings from the Medicine Wheel. Half of the participants described health from a holistic perspective and half described health using two of the four components of the Medicine Wheel: physical, emotional, intellectual (mental), and spiritual wellness. Pursuing and maintaining health included a combination of information and practices from both the Western and Traditional Indigenous world. Further collaboration and research is necessary to determine if the findings are similar among other Aboriginal Peoples in Saskatchewan.

Compared to other Canadians, Aboriginal people suffer disproportionately from Type 2 diabetes and its complications. In an attempt to fill gaps in services for Aboriginal people to support better management of diabetes and to prevent further complications, the West Side Community Clinic launched a monthly outreach diabetes education program using an informal hands-on approach to learning about meal planning and other forms of diabetes management. The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine the impact that the program has had on the participants' health and well-being through the stories they shared in a group or individual interview. Out of the core group of 30 women, most of them Aboriginal, eleven participated in the group interview and five women participated in individual interviews.<p>Findings reveal that the program's impact on participants' health and well-being is embedded within the context of their lives. Diabetes is managed within multiple life realities in an individual, a familial and a community context. The women report learning management skills and sharing support among participants and staff of Diabetes Morning; and altered health status such as regulated blood glucose levels and weight loss. Opportunities for change include more programming like Diabetes Morning, more often, more information, access to low-cost diabetes-friendly foods, communication with health care practitioners, and integrating knowledge on a day-to-day basis. Domains for outcome indicators and contextual indicators are suggested for the program.

This inquiry answered the questions: What is the most culturally respectful method for a cross-cultural researcher to discover how northern Aboriginal people learn and make decisions about their health? What will be the common patterns of learning among northern Saskatchewan Aboriginal people who have altered their life path? And what strategies will any common patterns suggest for the development of health promotion and community development programs specific to the cultures and people of northern Saskatchewan? Six Aboriginal people, whom I call my teachers, were selected because they had turned their lives around to more closely approximate a Cree idea of health called mithwayawin or the Dene idea of health called hote Zgehenai. A literature search and consultations with my teachers suggested that a respectful form of cross-cultural inquiry was possible in northern Saskatchewan communities. Furthermore, there were common themes suggesting a foundation of wellness and resilience indicating that similar resiliency factors exist in northern cultures as exist in other cultures. As well, common patterns suggested a lateral thinking and learning style or creative problem solving that is different from vertical or linear thinking common to the scientific-industrial cultures. Moreover, other themes suggested that the teachers had a preference for accumulating experience over abstract analysis indicating the desirability of active participation by community members in defining health challenges, arriving at solutions and planning and implementing changes. Furthermore, other themes suggested that the teachers life long learning occurred in a holistic context indicating that health promotion strategies could provide rich social, physical, spiritual and mental contexts within which Northerners can learn. As well, other themes suggested that the teachers used an Aboriginal ecological learning process indicating that health promotion efforts could consider working to revitalize the cultural beliefs, values and practices and could provide a rich environment of spiritual, physical and social activities so that the people would have the opportunity to fully develop their brain, mind, body, memory continuum and thereby achieve balance. The findings further implied that increasing general health knowledge among Northerners and using a community health development process in northern communities are strategies that northern health promotion and community development workers could consider employing in their work. More detailed and specific strategies are suggested.

No description available.

A climate change impact assessment was conducted to examine the spread of furunculosis found in the fish species of Ouje-Bougoumou; and subsequently to examine the resulting impacts on the health of the community. A past assessment was performed to assess whether there was a temporal relationship between increased temperatures and past incidences of furunculosis using observed climate data and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) data. To project future impacts of climate change, climate models, lake models and TEK were used. Findings show that the rise in air mean temperature coincides with the timeline of past incidences of furunculosis. It is predicted that the lake temperatures will remain suitable for the presence of A. salmonicida; thus, it is likely that the disease will persist throughout the twenty-first century. To conclude, climate change is not eliminated as a plausible factor to the onset of furunculosis.

A climate change impact assessment was conducted to examine the spread of furunculosis found in the fish species of Ouje-Bougoumou; and subsequently to examine the resulting impacts on the health of the community. A past assessment was performed to assess whether there was a temporal relationship between increased temperatures and past incidences of furunculosis using observed climate data and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) data. To project future impacts of climate change, climate models, lake models and TEK were used. Findings show that the rise in air mean temperature coincides with the timeline of past incidences of furunculosis. It is predicted that the lake temperatures will remain suitable for the presence of A. salmonicida; thus, it is likely that the disease will persist throughout the twenty-first century. To conclude, climate change is not eliminated as a plausible factor to the onset of furunculosis.

INTRODUCTION: Canada’s Aboriginal population is growing at a faster rate than the rest of Canada. While Aboriginal health has improved in the last few decades, life expectancy of First Nations, Inuit and Métis continues to be lower compared to the rest of the Canadian population. Furthermore, current Aboriginal health research tends to focus on those living onreserves while more than half of the Aboriginal population currently resides in urban areas. Despite the importance of neighbourhood factors for understanding health in urban areas, the importance of neighbourhood characteristic for urban Aboriginal health has yet to be examined. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the research was, to determine both individual-level predictors and neighbourhood-level predictors of self-rated health and diagnosis of chronic conditions, amongst Aboriginal populations living in the City of Toronto; and to determine whether and how neighbourhood-level predictors influence individual-level predictors of self-rated health and diagnosis of a chronic conditions in Toronto neighbourhoods with Aboriginal populations living in them. METHODS: This study was a secondary analysis of two samples from the 2006 Aboriginal people Survey, consisting of 1080 and 500 Aboriginal individuals in the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area. A series of logistic regressions models were created to identify individual and neighbourhood predictors of “poor” self-rated health and having one or more diagnosed chronic condition(s). RESULTS: A best fitting model was derived from the individual-level variables to include the demographic variables age, gender and Aboriginal status; and the socio-economic variables average household income, education level and employment status. While neighbourhood-level variables had no significant influence in predicting either health outcome, there was some evidence to suggest influence over individual-level predictors. To further examine this relation, neighbourhoods were stratified based on income inequality, average household income and availability of Aboriginal specific services. This analysis yielded some different effects of individual-level variables for different neighbourhood types, suggesting that some effects of neighbourhood characteristics may interact with individual characteristics to influence health. CONCLUSION: While contextual factors have some effect on self-rated health, individual factors serve as stronger predictors of individual health. However, more neighbourhood level studies should be considered in order to better understand the growing urban Aboriginal population and potential ecological effects on health.

Aboriginal urbanization has increased dramatically in Canada over the last half century. Aboriginal rights may be an important factor in shaping Aboriginal peoples’ experiences of urbanization, as they are largely restricted to those living on reserves. Through their impacts on social determinants of health, these differences in spatial access to Aboriginal rights may have implications for the health of Aboriginal peoples living in urban areas. Using mixed quantitative (statistical analysis of the Aboriginal Peoples Survey) and qualitative (in-depth interviews with Aboriginal women and men in Toronto) methods, this thesis explores relationships between Aboriginal urbanization and Aboriginal rights, focusing on how they may differentially impact the health of Aboriginal women and men living in urban areas. Findings suggest that the perceived lack of respect for Aboriginal rights in urban areas is negatively related to health, and that Aboriginal women and men may experience these impacts differently.