Indigenous Identity and Household Food Insecurity are Associated with Poor Health Outcomes in Canada

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Equity
• Indigenous Health

Background:

• Food insecurity is a significant public health issue disproportionately affecting Indigenous populations.
• Understanding the combined impact of Indigenous identity and food insecurity on health is critical for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between Indigenous identity, household food insecurity, and self-reported poor health.
• To analyze how these factors interact to influence various health outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the 2015-2016 Canadian Community Health Survey.
• Employed multiple logistic regression analysis, adjusting for individual and household covariates.
• Included review and commentary from the Alexander Research Committee in Alexander First Nation.

Main Results:

• Prevalence of food insecurity was higher among Indigenous adults (26.3%) compared to non-Indigenous adults (9.8%).
• Food-insecure Indigenous adults showed significantly higher odds of poor general health (OR=3.00), poor mental health (OR=3.94), chronic health conditions (OR=1.96), and chronic mental health disorders (OR=3.73) compared to food-secure non-Indigenous adults.
• Even food-secure Indigenous adults had greater odds of poor health outcomes than food-secure non-Indigenous adults.

Conclusions:

• Food security initiatives are essential for all Canadians, with a specific focus on the unique challenges faced by Indigenous communities.
• Policy decisions must address the intersection of Indigenous identity and food insecurity to improve health outcomes.
• Interventions should consider the broader determinants of health, including socioeconomic factors and cultural context.