Injury-related health services use and mortality among Métis people in Alberta

To examine injury-related health services use, defined as hospital admissions and emergency department (ED) visits, as well as mortality among Métis people in Alberta, and to compare those results with the entire Alberta population.

This population-based descriptive epidemiological research used administrative data maintained by the Alberta Ministry of Health (AH), for the year 2013. Hospital morbidity data and Alberta Vital Statistics registry were extracted and included a unique personal number to identify individuals across multiple records. To identify injury and mortality cases among the Métis people in Alberta, administrative databases were linked to the Métis Nation of Alberta (MNA) Identification Registry. Age-standardized rates of injury-related health services usage and mortality were calculated and compared between Métis people and the entire Alberta population.

Age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs) of all causes combined of injury-related visits to the ED and hospital admissions were 35% (p < 0.01) and 26% (p = 0.05) higher among Métis people compared with the overall Alberta population. Among the MNA, ASIRs of health service use were higher in rural areas (p < 0.01) and among men (p < 0.01). The injury-related mortality rate was not significantly higher among the MNA compared with the Alberta population. However, among the MNA, Métis males had a significantly higher injury mortality rate than females (p < 0.02).

Results from the current study suggest that injuries are a concern among Métis people. Health planners should design and implement strategies directed to reduce the burden of injury and associated complications for Métis people, especially in rural areas and among Métis males.