Most off-reserve aboriginal kids in excellent health

Most First Nations and Métis children living off reserve reported excellent or very good health but factors like poor housing conditions and access to medical care seem to make a difference, a report suggests.

Statistics Canada reported Wednesday on the health of aboriginal children younger than six based on parents' perceptions.

Previous research showed higher rates of injury, accidental injury and sudden infant death in aboriginal compared with non-aboriginal populations.

Aboriginal children are also at higher risk of chronic ear infection, respiratory tract infections, obesity, dental problems and of being hospitalized for asthma.

Family and social conditions such as household income, parents' education and food security are related to the health of aboriginal children. To find out more, the agency surveyed parents or guardians of 12,845 aboriginal children living off reserve based on the 2006 census.

From the parents' perspective, 85 per cent of First Nations children were in excellent or very good health compared with 90 per cent for all Canadian children.

The most common chronic conditions were:

• Asthma (10 per cent among First Nations and Métis children).
• Speech and language difficulties (10 per cent First Nations and nine per cent among Métis).
• Allergies (9 per cent First Nations and 10 per cent for Métis).
• Lactose intolerant (7 per cent for First Nations and six per cent among Métis).

"In the current study, the likelihood that these conditions had been professionally diagnosed and treated varied substantially, which may reflect differences in access to medical care or treatment options," Leanne Findlay of Statistics Canada’s health analysis division and Teresa Janz of the agency's health statistics division wrote.

"The current study provides evidence for associations between the health of aboriginal children and several social determinants of health, including the number of people raising the child, breastfeeding, housing conditions, and perceptions of community health facilities."

Geographical differences

Boys and children raised by one person rather than two had lower odds of excellent or very good health, the researchers said.

Children who lived in homes where they never went hungry because food was unavailable and where there wasn't regularly smoking were more likely to be in excellent or very good health.

Parents who rated their child's health positively may be more likely to rate their housing and community health facilities favourably as well, the authors acknowledged.

Geographically, First Nations children living off reserve in Atlantic Canada and Ontario were more likely to be in top health compared with those in the Western provinces and the territories.

Children in Saskatchewan were less likely to show excellent or very good health than their peers in Quebec, Alberta or British Columbia.

The researchers cautioned the findings cannot be generalized to the 43 per cent of First Nations people who live on reserves, and that the measurements of child health in their analysis may not fully capture aboriginal understanding that includes physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects.