The Health of Canada's Native People: An Overview

The health of Canada's Native people has improved considerably over the last 50 years. Nonetheless, standard rates of health measurement, including mortality and morbidity, remain remarkably elevated. There now exists a coincident burden of infectious and degenerative or chronic illness. Most significant, there is considerable mortality related to injuries, violence, and suicide, and these occurrences are related, to a large extent, to the abuse of alcohol. Many of the ensuing deaths are therefore preventable. The concepts of health promotion and of transfer of control overlap considerably. Both evidently increase the potential of improved health through individual and community empowerment.