Health knowledge of Native Indian youth in central Alberta

This paper is the first report of health knowledge among Native Indian youth in central Alberta and, in the absence of comparable information for Native youth in other regions of Canada, provides a unique basis for comparison of the health knowledge of Native youth attending junior high school with that of non-Native young Canadians included in the Canada Health Knowledge Survey. The results of our survey of 229 Native Indian youth from seven different reserves in central Alberta indicate that a higher proportion of the Native youth were more knowledgeable about dental health, fire safety, and the effects of smoking, alcohol and drugs. However, they generally scored lower on items related to knowledge of first aid for burns, nutrition, communicable diseases, and personal health. Factors contributing to these differences and suggestions for future action are suggested on the basis that accurate information of this kind is essential for health promotion efforts directed toward reducing risky health behaviours and promoting healthier lifestyles among youth of Native Indian communities.