Understanding the associations among social vulnerabilities, Indigenous Peoples, and COVID-19 cases within Canadian health regions
Date
2022
Authors
Huyser, Kimberly R.
Yellow Horse, Aggie J.
Collins, Katherine A.
Fischer, Jaimy
Jessome, Mary G.
Ronayne, Emma T.
Lin, Jonathan C.
Derkson, Jordan
Johnson-Jennings, Michelle
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Abstract
Indigenous Peoples are at an increased risk for infectious disease, including COVID-19, due
to the historically embedded deleterious social determinants of health. Furthermore, structural limitations
in Canadian federal government data contribute to the lack of comparative rates of COVID-19
between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. To make visible Indigenous Peoples’ experiences
in the public health discourse in the midst of COVID-19, this paper aims to answer the following
interrelated research questions: (1) What are the associations of key social determinants of health
and COVID-19 cases among Canadian health regions? and (2) How do these relationships relate
to Indigenous communities? As both proximal and distal social determinants of health conjointly
contribute to COVID-19 impacts on Indigenous health, this study used a unique dataset assembled
from multiple sources to examine the associations among key social determinants of health characteristics
and health with a focus on Indigenous Peoples. We highlight key social vulnerabilities that
stem from systemic racism and that place Indigenous populations at increased risk for COVID-19.
Many Indigenous health issues are rooted in the historical impacts of colonization, and partially invisible
due to systemic federal underfunding in Indigenous communities. The Canadian government
must invest in collecting accurate, reliable, and disaggregated data on COVID-19 case counts for
Indigenous Peoples, as well as in improving Indigenous community infrastructure and services.
Description
Keywords
Indigenous communities, COVID-19 pandemic, social determinants of health, social vulnerability indicators
Citation
Huyser, K. R., Yellow Horse, A. J., Collins, K. A., Fischer, J., Jessome, M. G., Ronayne, E. T., . . . Johnson-Jennings, M. (2022). “Understanding the associations among social vulnerabilities, Indigenous Peoples, and COVID-19 cases within Canadian health regions.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(19), 12409. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912409