This paper summarizes numerous health statistics and indicators for off-reserve First Nations people. However, the most relevant items for this study are the impact of language, culture, and community identity on health. For context, off-reserve First Nations people 15 or older most commonly report: blood pressure complications, arthritis, and asthma, and 10% of off-reserve First Nations people experience Diabetes. 60% of First Nations people off-reserve “report very good mental health, compared with 72% of the total Canadian population.” (7) Mental health issues were more common in women than in men.

Rotenberg cites Reading and Wien (2009) as a demonstration that cultural community and continuity influence proximal health indicators such as smoking or poverty. Additionally, Rotenberg uses data from participation in hunting, fishing, trapping, etc. (from the Aboriginal Peoples’ Survey 2012) as a proxy for cultural continuity/connectedness. Approximately 62% of off-reserve First Nations People over 15 participated in a traditional activity (as defined and limited by the survey) in 2011. This was not found to be a productive factor; in fact, people who participated in traditional activities were more likely to have a chronic condition. Similarly, the APS did not demonstrate “a significant association between Aboriginal language speaking abilities and any of the three negative health outcome variables analyzed after controlling for various factors.” (16) This study uses health indicators such as having a personal physician: results likely depend significantly on how health is measured. For example, people who reported being able to turn to friends or family in times of crises were far more likely to have better overall health than those who had no-one to turn to. Strong family ties do have a significant impact on health.

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This study is available for free on the Statistics Canada website: https://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/89-653-x/89-653-x2016010-eng.htm

Rotenberg, Christine. “Social determinants of health for the off-reserve First Nations population, 15 years of age and older, 2012.” Statistics Canada. Catalogue no. 89-653 (2016).