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Risk factors and chronic conditions among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations
Publication: Health Reports 2009:20(4) www.statcan.gc.ca/healthreports
Authors: Lisa Lix, Sharon Bruce, Joykrishna Sarkar and T. Kue Young
Data: Canadian Community Health Survey cycle 1.1 (2000/2001) and cycle 3.1 (2005/2006)
This study compares changes over time (2000/2001 and 2005/2006) in several major behavioural risk factors and chronic conditions among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations in the North and in southern Canada. It covers only people not living on reserves.
Risk factors
Differences in obesity, smoking, drinking and physical activity between Aboriginal populations in the North and in southern Canada were significant.
The prevalence of daily smoking, infrequent physical activity and inactive leisure time was higher among Aboriginal people in the North than among those in southern Canada. By contrast, overweight, obesity, regular drinking and heavy drinking were more prevalent among Aboriginal people in southern Canada.
Among the non-Aboriginal population, overweight, obesity, daily smoking and regular drinking were more prevalent in the North than in southern Canada.
From 2000/2001 to 2005/2006, the prevalence of obesity rose among all groups: Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, in the North and in southern Canada. However, among Aboriginal people, the largest increase was in the North.
During the same five-year period, the overall prevalence of daily smoking fell in all groups, but remained highest among Aboriginal people in the North.
In 2000/2001, the odds of regular drinking and heavy drinking among Aboriginal people were significantly lower in the North than in southern Canada. However, by 2005/2006, the odds of regular drinking were significantly higher among Aboriginal people in the North and the odds of heavy drinking did not differ significantly between the two groups.
In both 2000/2001 and 2005/2006, non-Aboriginal people in the North had significantly higher odds of obesity and daily smoking than did those in southern Canada. In 2000/2001, the odds of heavy drinking and inactive leisure time were significantly lower among non-Aboriginal people in the North than among those in southern Canada, but by 2005/2006, the differences were not statistically significant.
Chronic conditions
In 2000/2001, Aboriginal people in the North were less likely than those in southern Canada to have arthritis, hypertension, asthma and diabetes, but by 2005/2006, this was true only for hypertension.
By comparison, there were fewer differences between non-Aboriginal people in the North and in southern Canada.
