Injuries are a leading cause of death among the First Nations population in Canada and have been identified as a serious public health issue in terms of health care costs and diminished quality of life.Note1
Although relatively few studies of injuries among the Aboriginal population have been conducted,Note2 recent population-based research shows high rates of morbidity and mortality due to injuries in the First Nations population. Karmali et al.Note3 reported that the incidence of severe fatal and non-fatal injuries in the Calgary Health Region was higher among individuals with Registered Indian status, compared with other residents. Using survey data, TjepkemaNote4 reported higher non-fatal injury rates among the provincial off-reserve Aboriginal population, compared with the non-Aboriginal population. Linkages of census and mortality data show higher rates of mortality due to injuries over the 1991-to-2001 period for Status and non-Status Indians, compared with the non-Aboriginal population.Note5,Note6