Ethnic and regional differences in prevalence and correlates of chronic diseases and risk factors in northern Canada.
BACKGROUND
We investigated ethnic and geographic variations in major chronic diseases and risk factors in northern Canada, an area that is undergoing rapid changes in its social, cultural, and physical environments.


METHODS
Self-report data were obtained from the population-based Canadian Community Health Survey in 2000-2001 and 2005-2006 for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal respondents from the 3 regions of northern Canada: Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. Crude prevalence estimates, adjusted odds ratios (AORs), and confidence intervals were calculated for multiple chronic diseases and risk factors.


RESULTS
The percentage of Aboriginal respondents who reported having any chronic health condition increased between the 2 cycles of data collection, but did not change for non-Aboriginal respondents. AORs for heart disease, arthritis, and asthma varied by ethnicity or region. AORs for overweight, obesity, daily smoking, regular and binge drinking, and infrequent physical/leisure activity were also substantially different for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal respondents or among respondents from the 3 northern regions.


CONCLUSIONS
The changing profile of health in northern Canada suggests a need for action on health policy about the delivery of community-based primary prevention interventions and further research about the determinants of health and health care use.
Sarkar
Joykrishna
J
University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
Lix
Lisa M
LM
Bruce
Sharon
S
Young
T Kue
TK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044467:American Indian or Alaska Native; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D005006:Ethnicity; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult