Abstract

Background

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada has called upon the federal government to provide data on a number of health indicators, including life expectancy among First Nations people, Métis and Inuit. In Canada, estimating the life expectancy of Indigenous populations is methodologically challenging since death registrations do not usually collect information on whether the deceased was Indigenous. For the first time in Canada, a series of census–mortality linked datasets has been created that can be used to estimate life expectancies among Indigenous household populations enumerated by a census.

Methods

Life expectancy is the average number of years a person at a given age would be expected to live if the mortality rates observed for a specific period persisted into the future. For this study, abridged period life tables (based on five-year age groups) were calculated for self-reported First Nations, Métis, Inuit and non-Indigenous males and females.

Results

Life expectancy was substantially and consistently shorter for First Nations, Métis and Inuit household populations compared with the non-Indigenous household population across all time periods. In 2011, life expectancy at age 1 for the male household population was 72.5 years for First Nations, 76.9 years for Métis, 70.0 years for Inuit and 81.4 years for non-Indigenous people. Among the female household population, life expectancy at age 1 was 77.7 years for First Nations, 82.3 years for Métis, 76.1 years for Inuit and 87.3 for non-Indigenous people.

Interpretation

With the creation of a series of census–mortality linked datasets, it is now possible to produce national mortality and life expectancy estimates starting at age 1 for Indigenous household populations. The routine monitoring of longevity by population group can inform policy development and planning intended to advance health equity.

Keywords

mortality, life tables, Indigenous, cohort studies

DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.25318/82-003-x201901200001-eng

Findings

Significant health gaps exist between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations in Canada and other countries such as the United States, Australia and New Zealand. To identify and close these gaps, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada recommendation # 19 has called upon the federal government to publish data and assess long-term trends for a number of health indicators, including life expectancy among First Nations people, Métis and Inuit. [Full article]

Authors

Michael Tjepkema (michael.tjepkema@canada.ca), Tracey Bushnik and Evelyne Bougie are with the Health Analysis Division at Statistics Canada, Ottawa, Ontario

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