Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Morbidity and Mortality Rates in a Nova Scotia First Nations Community, 1996–1999

  • Published:
Canadian Journal of Public Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background: Despite an abundance of data and analysis of First Nations morbidity and mortality rates, accurate data have not been available to serve the First Nations community in Eastern Canada.

Methods: Data for Eskasoni, the largest Mi’kmaq community, were obtained for 1996 through 1999 and Cape Breton and Nova Scotia were used as regional and provincial reference populations respectively. Age-adjusted relative risks (AARR) were calculated for overall mortality and disease-specific hospital admissions.

Results: Eskasoni’s mortality AARR was greater than 1.0 in 3 of the 4 years studied, although the data may understate Eskasoni’s mortality rates. Eskasoni’s total admission AARRs were significantly greater than the two reference populations. Neoplasm admission rates were generally lower, while circulatory disease admission AARRs were significantly higher. A rise in diabetic admission rates was noted with the AARR reaching statistical significance in the final years of the study. Respiratory disease was the leading cause of hospitalization with significantly greater rates of admission than regional or provincial rates. Pneumonia and influenza accounted for more than one half of respiratory admissions. Infectious disease admissions were more prevalent in Eskasoni while rates of liver disease were generally low.

Conclusion: Results suggest that members of the largest Mi’kmaq band are at greater risk for a number of disease categories and health promotion should be targeted toward respiratory ailments, circulatory disease and diabetic management. Further analysis, however, remains an important priority.

Résumé

Contexte: En dépit d’une abondance de données et d’analysation de morbidité et des taux de mortalité des Premières Nations, les données précises n’ont pas été disponibles pour servir les communautés de Première Nations dans l´est du Canada.

Méthodes: Des données pour Eskasoni, la plus grande communauté de Mi’kmaq, ont été obtenues pour les années 1996 à 1999 et Cape Bréton et la Nouvelle-Écosse ont été employés respectivement comme populations de référence régionale et provinciale. Les risques relatifs ajustés pour l’âge (RRAA) ont été calculés pour des admissions d’hôpital spécifiquement pour les taux de mortalité et de maladie.

Résultats: La mortalité RRAA d’Eskasoni était 1,0 dans 3 des 4 années étudiées, quoique les données ont la possibilité d’amoindrir la mortalité d’Eskasoni. Les RRAA d’admission d’Eskasoni étaient sensiblement plus grands que les populations de référence. Les taux d’admission de néoplasme étaient généralement inférieurs, alors que les RRAA d´admission de la maladie circulatoires étaient sensiblement plus hauts. Une élévation des taux d’admission diabétiques a été notée avec les RRAA atteignant la signification statistique en années finales de l’étude. La maladie respiratoire était la principale cause de l’hospitalisation avec des taux d’admission sensiblement plus grands. La pneumonie et la grippe ont constitué plus d’une moitié des admissions respiratoires. Les admissions infectieuses de la maladie étaient plus répandues dans Eskasoni tandis que les taux d’infection hépatique étaient généralement bas.

Conclusions: Les résultats suggèrent que les membres de la plus grande bande de Mi’kmaq soient à un plus grand risque pour un certain nombre de catégories de la maladie et la promotion de santé devrait être visée vers la maladie respiratoire et la gestion diabétique. Plus d’analysation demeure une priorité importante.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Reference

  1. MacMillan HL, MacMillan AB, Offord DR, Dingle JL. Aboriginal healt. CMA. 1996;155(11):1569–78.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Trovato F. Aboriginal mortality in Canada, the United States and New Zealan. J Biosocial Sc. 2001;33(1):67–86.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Mao Y, Morrison HI, Semenciw RM, Wigle DT. Mortality on Canadian Indian Reserves 1977–8. Can J Public Healt. 1986;77:263–68.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Mao Y, Moloughney BW, Semenciw RM, Morrison HI. Indian reserve and registered Indian mortality in Canad. Can J Public Healt. 1992;83:350–53.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Morrison HI, Semenciw RM, Mao Y, Wigle DT. Infant mortality on Canadian Indian reserve. Can J Public Healt. 1986;77:269–73.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Mahoney MC, Michalek AM. Health status of American Indians/Alaska Natives: General patterns of mortalit. Fam Med. 1998;30(3):190–95.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Postl B. It’s time for action. CMA. 1997;157:1655–56.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Stevens P. A Tri-Partite Approach to Developing a New Model of Primary Care for the Eskasoni First Nation. A presentation to The Assembly of First Nations Health Conference. Ottawa, Canada: February 25, 2001.

    Google Scholar 

  9. International Classification of Disease., 9th revision. Geneva: World Health Organization, 1978.

  10. Kahn HA, Sempos CT. Statistical Methods in Epidemiology; Monographs in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Volume 12. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Canadian Institute of Child Health. Aboriginal children. I. The Health of Canada’s Children: A CICH Profil., 2nd ed. Ottawa, ON: CICH, 1994;131–48.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Health Canada. Leading cause of death and hos-pitalization. Population and Public Health Branch. Ottawa, ON: 1997. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Mahoney MC, Michalek AM, Cummings KM, Nasca PC, Emrich LJ. Mortality in a northeastern Native American cohort, 1955–198. Am J Epidemiol. 1989;129:816–26.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Young TK, Moffatt MEK, O’Neil JD. Cardiovascular diseases in a Canadian Arctic population. Am J Public Health. 1993;83(6):197–200.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. McIntyre L, Shah CP. Prevalence of hypertension, obesity and smoking in three Indian communities in northwestern Ontari. CMA. 1986;134:345–49.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Guernsey JR, Dewar R, Weerasinghe S, Kirkland S, Veugelers PJ. Incidence of cancer in Sydney and Cape Breton County, Nova Scotia 1979–1997. Can J Public Health. 2000;91(4):285–92.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Mahoney MC, Michalek AM. A meta-analysis of cancer incidence in United States and Canadian Native Population. Int J Epidemiol. 1991;20:323–27.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Hall PF. Ironies most bitterswee. CMA. 1999;160(9):1315–16.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Young TK, Szathmáry EJE, Evers S, Wheatley B. Geographical distribution of diabetes among the native population of Canada: A national survey. Soc Sci Med. 1990;31(2):129–39.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Herxheimer H, Schaefer O. Asthma in Canadian Indians (correspondence). N Engl J Med. 1974;291:1419.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Slocum R, Thompson F, Chavez C. Rarity of asthma among Cheyenne Indians (letter). Annals of Allerg. 1977;34:201–2.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Senthilselvan A, Habbick BK. Increased asthma hospitalizations among registered Indian children and adults in Saskatchewan, 1970–1989. J Clin Epidemiol. 1995;48(10):1277–83.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Rhoades ER. The major respiratory diseases of American Indian. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1990;141:595–600.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Union of Nova Scotia Indians & the Confederacy of Mainland Micmacs. The health of the Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq Population; highlights. Sydney, NS, 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Colley JRT, Holland WW, Corkhill RT. Influence of passive smoking and parental phlegm on pneumonia and bronchitis in early childhood. Lances. 1974;2:1031–34.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Harlap S, Davies A. Infant admissions to hospital and maternal smokin. Lances. 1974;1:529–32.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Fergusson DM, Horwood LJ, Shannon FT. Parental smoking and respiratory illness in infanc. Arch Dis Childhood. 1980;55:358–61.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Fraser-Lee NJ, Hessel PA. Acute respiratory infections in the Canadian native Indian population: A review. Can J Public Health. 1994;85:197–200.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Evers S, Orchard J, McCracken E. Lower respiratory disease in Indian and non-Indian infant. Can J Public Health. 1985;76:195–98.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Houston CS, Weiler RL, Habrick BF. Severity of lung disease in Indian children. CMA. 1979;120:1116,1119,1121.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Banerji A, Bell A, Mills EL, McDonald J, Subbarao K, Stark G, et al. Lower respiratory tract infections in Inuit infants on Baffin Islan. CMA. 2001:164(13):1847–50.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Postl B, Moffatt M. The health of Canada’s native people: An overview. Can Fam Phys. 1988;34:2413–580.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Pekeles G with the 1986/87 Indian and Inuit Health Committee of the Canadian Paediatric Society. The health of Indian and Inuit children in Canada in the 1980s and 1990. Can Fam Phy. 1988;34:1567–72.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Grossman DC, Krieger JW, Sugarman JR, Forquera RA. Health status of urban American Indians and Alaska Native. JAM. 1994;271(11):845–50.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Julien G, Baxter JD, Crago M. Chronic otitis media and hearing deficits among native children of Kuujjuaraapi. Can J Public Health. 1987;78:57–60.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Robinson E. The Health of the James Bay Cree. Can Fam Phys. 1988;34:1606–13.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Nicolle LE, Postl B, Urias B, Law B, Ling N. Group A streptococcal pharyngeal carriage, pharyngitis, and impetigo in two northern Canadian native communitie. Clinical Investigative Med. 1990;13:99–106.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Kashuba S, Flowerdew G, Hessel PA, Saunders LD, Jarvis G, Laing L, et al. Acute care hospital morbidity in the Blood Indian Band, 1984–8. Can J Public Health. 1994;85(5):317–21.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. State Center for Health Statistics. New Mexico monthly vital statistics report. State Center for Health Statistics. New Mexico Health and Environment Department. Santa Fe, New Mexico, February, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Mahoney MC, Ellrott MA, Michalek AM. A mortality analysis of Native Americans in New York State, 1980–198. Int J Epidemiol. 1989;18:403–12.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Levitt C., Doyle-MacIsaac M, Grava-Gubins I, Ramsay G, Rosser W. Our strength for tomorrow: Valuing our childre. Can Fam Phys. 1998;44:358–62.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Alberta, 4308 116 Street, T6J 1R9, AB, Edmonton, Canada

    Duncan Webster BSc, BA, MA, MD

  2. Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada

    Swarna Weerasinghe MSc, PhD

  3. Health Board Advisor, Eskasoni Primary Care Clinic, Eskasoni, NS, Canada

    Peter Stevens BA

Authors
  1. Duncan Webster BSc, BA, MA, MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Swarna Weerasinghe MSc, PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Peter Stevens BA
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Duncan Webster BSc, BA, MA, MD.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Webster, D., Weerasinghe, S. & Stevens, P. Morbidity and Mortality Rates in a Nova Scotia First Nations Community, 1996–1999. Can J Public Health 95, 369–374 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03405149

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03405149

Search

Navigation