Background
First Nations people were reported to have a shorter life expectancy and were more likely than their non-Indigenous counterparts to die prematurely from avoidable causes.
Methods
Using the 2006 Canadian Census Health and Environment Cohort (CanCHEC), the number and rates of deaths for a 10-year follow-up period for on- and off reserve First Nations people and the non-Indigenous population were calculated by sex, age and region.
Results
According to the 2006 CanCHEC data, First Nations people showed higher age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) compared with the non-Indigenous population. On-reserve First Nations people showed higher ASMRs than off-reserve First Nations people. First Nations people’s excess mortality, compared with their non-Indigenous counterparts, was caused by deaths from diabetes, heart diseases, chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, unintentional injuries, and intentional injuries (suicide and assault). The mortality differential between First Nations people and the non-Indigenous population was found to be more pronounced among younger age groups.
Interpretation
First Nations people’s excess mortality can be better understood by examining specific causes for specific population groups, based on age, sex, being on- or off-reserve, and region.