How we identify and count Aboriginal people--does it make a difference in estimating their disease burden?

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Sociology

Background:

• The Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) uses "identity" and "ancestry" questions to estimate the size of the Aboriginal population.
• Understanding the concordance between these questions is crucial for accurate population estimates and health research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the concordance between CCHS "identity" and "ancestry" questions.
• To determine if differing definitions impact the prevalence of selected chronic diseases among Aboriginal Canadians.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the CCHS combined 2009-2010 microdata file.
• Categorization of Aboriginal participants into four groups based on identity and ancestry responses.
• Estimation of diabetes, arthritis, and hypertension prevalence.

Main Results:

• A significant lack of concordance was found between Aboriginal identity and ancestry reporting (63% identity only, 57% ancestry only).
• Concordance varied across First Nation, Métis, and Inuit populations.
• The method of estimating the Aboriginal population did not significantly alter the prevalence of the studied chronic diseases.

Conclusions:

• Further investigation into the lack of concordance between identity and ancestry is needed, utilizing more CCHS data cycles.
• The impact of this discrepancy on a wider range of health conditions warrants examination across different regions, genders, and socioeconomic statuses.