Ethnicity, morbidity and health service utilization in two Labrador communities

This paper compares total outpatient health care utilization of residents of the Labrador community of Sheshatshit, a predominantly native Innu settlement, with those for the adjacent and predominantly caucasian community of Northwest River for 1986. In lieu of a community survey, these data provide an approximation of the morbidity patterns within the populations. Findings indicate that the native population experiences proportionately more infectious diseases (39.3% of all visits compared to 12.5% of all visits for the non-native community). While residents of the Innu community utilize health services primarily for curative care, residents of Northwest River sought services for both curative and preventive care. It is concluded that inequalities in material wellbeing may underlie the morbidity in Sheshatshit. While desirable in light of the WHO Ottawa Charter, any modification of the health services on account of these morbidity patterns will have only modest effect until policy-based initiatives to reduce material inequalities are implemented.