Environmental Dispossession Essay -- Canada

Canada has a vast and prominent Aboriginal population that requires diverse and culturally safe health care. Milligan (2010) reports that as of 2006 there were 1,172,785 identified Aboriginals residing in Canada. British Colombia is home to 196,075 Aboriginals, the second largest provincial population in Canada, with 7,050 individuals of this reported Aboriginal population residing within Kamloops. This large provincial population of Aboriginals accounts for approximately 5% of BC’s total population and therefore it is vital that the disparity in both access and outcome of health care related shortcomings, which are highly publicised, be addressed. One major health problem, which has gradually increased in prevalence within this vulnerable population over the past several decades, is diabetes. Health Canada reported in 2000 that the prevalence of diabetes among aboriginals is a minimum of three times higher than that of the non-aboriginal population in Canada. This increa sed risk of diabetes can be attributed to numerous factors such as, genetic predisposition (Thouez et al. as cited in Health Canada, 2000) or decreased access to education or services that benefit aboriginal people (Barton, 2008). This paper will analyze the effects of environmental dispossession as a determinant of health, while concurrently connecting intervention strategies with current practices. Definitions For the purpose of this paper, it is important to define several key terms that will be used. The term Aboriginal will encompass individuals who identify as First Nations, Inuit or MÃ ©tis people. Although from a statistical standpoint, there is some noticeable variation in degree of risk regarding diabetes, it is important to recognize that enviro... ...ada. (2000). Diabetes among aboriginal people in Canada: The evidence. Ottawa: Health Canada. Johnson, J. A., Vermeulen, S. U., Toth, E. L., Hemmelgarn, B. R., Ralph-Campbell, K., Hugel, G., . . . Crowshoe, L. (2009). Increasing incidence and prevalence of diabetes among the status aboriginal population urban and rural Alberta, 1995-2006. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 100(3), 231-236. Raphael, D., Curry-Stevens, A., & Bryant , T. (2008). Barriers to addressing the social determinants of health: Insights from the Canadian experience. Health Policy, 88(2-3), 222-235. Richmond, C. A., & Ross, N. A. (2009). The determinants of first nation and inuit health: A critical population health approach. Health & Place, 15(2), 403-411. Shelly, M. (2010). 2006 Aboriginal population profile for Kamloops. Ottawa: Statistics Canada.