Poverty, social problems mean unhealthy children

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A new study by the Canadian Institute of Child Health reports that many Aboriginal children "live in dire circumstances," and do not enjoy the same level of health as the rest of Canada's child population.

The Health of Canada's Children, released Sept. 27, reports the social and economic conditions under which Aboriginal children live result in poor health for many of the 350,000 under 15 years of age in Canada today.

Aboriginal people, including children, experience food shortages, live in over-crowded and substandard housing, and experience serious social problems in their communities, including alcohol and drug abuse, family violence, sexual abuse and suicide, the institute reports.

"Many (Aboriginal children) live in extreme poverty and without adequate physical and social structures to enable them to grow up healthy," the profile reads.

Combine the deprived circumstances of Aboriginal people with the hidden and overt racism of society, the report says, and "they are doubly oppressed." The first edition of the profile released five years ago spoke about similar circumstances for Aboriginal children, and it appears little has changed, the September report continues.

Of the statistics available (for status Indian and Inuit people only), infant death rates are twice as high as the rate for the total Canadian population. The Indian death

rate due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is three times that of the total Canadian population. For Inuit, the death rate due to SIDS is four times higher.

The injury death rate for Indian teenagers is almost four times greater than for the Canadian population, and suicide among Indian youth is five times greater than for the total Canadian population.

The Institute calls for serious and immediate action to enable Aboriginal peoples to improve their social conditions and, in turn, their children's health.

The strategies suggested for improving Aboriginal children's health include:

- Recognizing and promoting self-determination.

- Promoting efforts to reduce poverty and enhance social conditions that are relevant and culturally suitable to the needs of Aboriginal children.

- Increasing awareness among all Canadians about the degree of ill health in the Aboriginal population.

- Directing energies to a more holistic health approach.

- Focusing on self-esteem, knowledge of values, and confidence building.

- Encouraging understanding of Aboriginal healing methods.

- Recognizing Aboriginal rights and promoting cultural healing and pride.

- Encouraging Elders, medicine people, community health workers and other Aboriginal health professionals to heal communities.