title: Indigenous mortality (revealed): the invisible illuminated.
abstract: Inaccuracies in the identification of Indigenous status and the collection of and access to vital statistics data impede the strategic implementation of evidence-based public health initiatives to reduce avoidable deaths. The impact of colonization and subsequent government initiatives has been commonly observed among the Indigenous peoples of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States. The quality of Indigenous data that informs mortality statistics are similarly connected to these distal processes, which began with colonization. We discuss the methodological and technical challenges in measuring mortality for Indigenous populations within a historical and political context, and identify strategies for the accurate ascertainment and inclusion of Indigenous people in mortality statistics.
authors.affiliation: Jane Freemantle and Tessa Louise Cutler are with the Centre for Health Equity, University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia. Ian Ring is with the Australian Health Services Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia. Teshia G. Arambula Solomon and Francine C. Gachupin are with the Native American Research and Training Center, Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson. Janet Smylie is with the Centre for Research on Inner City Health, Keenan Research Centre in the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Saint Michael's Hospital and Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, ON, Canada. John A. Waldon is with the Muru Marri Indigenous Health Unit, School of Public Health & Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Freemantle
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ring
authors.forename: Teshia G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Arambula Solomon
authors.forename: Francine C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Gachupin
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Smylie
authors.forename: Tessa Louise
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Cutler
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Waldon
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009026:Mortality / Q000208:ethnology*; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D011057:Politics; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014798:Vital Statistics