The Health and Activity Limitation Survey. Disabled aboriginal persons in Canada

In 1986, out of a total of 711,725 Canadians of aboriginal ancestry, 86,505 reported having some level of disability. This article profiles disabled aboriginal persons living both on-and off-reserve, presenting data from Statistics Canada's 1986 Census of Population and the Health and Activity Limitation Survey (HALS), conducted in 1986 and 1987. Census data provide an overview of selected demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the disabled aboriginal population. HALS data provide details on the nature and number of disabilities, underlying causes of the disabilities, and the degree of assistance required for daily activities. Accidents were frequently cited as the underlying cause of disability among disabled aboriginal people living both on- and off-reserve. Most disabled original persons aged 15 and older were able to perform household duties such as preparation of meals, shopping and housework. On-reserve disabled aboriginal persons did, however, require and receive help more frequently than those who resided off-reserve.