CHAPTER 8

Health of Indigenous Peoples

Multiple Choice Questions

1. The following statement regarding Indigenous people’s health is FALSE: ________.
   1. Indigenous people’s health is more similar to the health of people living in the impoverished parts of the world than to the health of other Canadians
   2. Indigenous populations have higher rates of parasitic and infectious diseases than non-Indigenous populations
   3. Indigenous populations have lower rates of chronic conditions, such as heart disease or diabetes than non-Indigenous Canadian populations
   4. Suicide rates among the Canadian Inuit population are among the highest in the world
2. Colonialism and social exclusion impact the health of Indigenous people. Colonialism and the process of social exclusion are ________ determinants of health.
   1. individual-level
   2. intermediate
   3. macro
   4. meso
3. Indigenous peoples share ________.
   1. similarities in culture
   2. similarities in social structure
   3. similarities in language
   4. their common history of European colonization
4. Assimilation attempts directed at Indigenous peoples included ________.
   1. isolation of Indigenous peoples on reserves
   2. creation of residential schools
   3. making Indigenous languages part of the school curriculum
   4. building a strong indigenous Canadian identity
5. “Registered Status Indian” refers to someone who ________.
   1. has the legal status of an Indian under Canada’s Indian Act
   2. was born on a reserve to parents of Indigenous heritage
   3. has registered with the provincial health care insurance plan
   4. has registered with the federal government as an Indigenous person
6. Indigenous peoples today are more likely than other Canadians to suffer from ________.
   1. diabetes
   2. lung cancer
   3. prostate disease
   4. breast cancer
7. Death rates for suicide and accidental deaths are highest among ________.
   1. First Nations people
   2. Non-registered Indians
   3. Métis
   4. Inuit
8. Macro determinants of health include ________.
   1. prevalence of smoking and heavy drinking
   2. community-level loss of sense of self determination
   3. inadequate health, social, and educational services
   4. poor quality, over-crowded housing
9. Intermediate determinants of health include ________.
   1. community capacity
   2. colonialism
   3. racism
   4. social exclusion
10. Housing conditions impact the health of Indigenous people in the local community. Housing conditions are one of many ________ determinants of health
    1. individual-level
    2. intermediate
    3. macro
    4. meso
11. The following accurately describes the demographic status of Indigenous people in Canada: ________.
    1. The Indigenous population is older than non-Indigenous Canadian population
    2. The Indigenous population is younger than non-Indigenous Canadian population
    3. The Indigenous population has low-fertility and high-mortality rates, especially infant mortality
    4. The majority of Indigenous people rarely leave their home communities
12. Suicide rates among Canada’s ________ are the highest in the world.
    1. non-status Indians
    2. status Indians
    3. Inuit
    4. Métis
13. The following statement is TRUE: ________.
    1. The majority of health disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians can be explained by the considerably higher rates among smoking among Indigenous Canadians
    2. The majority of health disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians can be explained by higher rates of obesity among Indigenous Canadians
    3. Limited access to health care services is the major contributor to the health disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people
    4. Socio-economic conditions account for almost all of the differences seen between health of Indigenous people and health of the broader population
14. ________ are the biggest determinants of Indigenous health.
    1. Income, education, and employment
    2. Cultural practices
    3. Gender differences
    4. Smoking, alcohol consumption, and lack of physical activity
15. The following statement is FALSE: ________.
    1. Indigenous people living on reserve are generally poorer than Indigenous people living off reserve
    2. The health of Indigenous people living on reserve is much better than health of Indigenous people living off reserve
    3. Nearly 40 per cent of Indigenous women report smoking during pregnancy
    4. Suicide, particularly among adolescent males, is much higher among Indigenous people than among non-Indigenous Canadians
16. Indian bands and tribal councils operating under negotiated treaties are referred to as ________.
    1. Métis
    2. Registered Indians
    3. First Nations
    4. Inuit
17. Métis are mixed-race descendants of ________ traders.
    1. Scottish and French
    2. Scottish and British
    3. French and British
    4. American and British
18. A First Nations man in Canada has a life expectancy that is ­­­­________.
    1. the same as a non-Indigenous man
    2. two years shorter than a non-Indigenous man
    3. four years shorter than a non-Indigenous man
    4. six or more years shorter than a non-Indigenous man
19. The median income of Indigenous people is ________ lower than non-Indigenous Canadians.
    1. 10 per cent
    2. 20 per cent
    3. 30 per cent
    4. 40 per cent
20. In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Indigenous people in the US and Canada were subjected to heavy commercial pressure from ________.
    1. fast food merchants
    2. fur traders
    3. whiskey traders and tobacco merchants
    4. oil rig companies

True or False Questions

1. Indigenous people have less access to health and social services than non-Indigenous Canadians.
2. Compared to non-Indigenous Canadians, Indigenous people have higher rates of infectious diseases but lower rates of diabetes and respiratory problems.
3. The majority of health services are provided to on-reserve Indigenous people by provincial governments.
4. Indigenous people’s diet and smoking habits, especially smoking and alcohol use by pregnant women, are the major causes of health disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians.
5. Indigenous people living on reserves have much better health and far better access to a range of health and social services than Indigenous people who do not live on reserves.
6. By macro determinants of health, we refer to such variables as colonialism, social exclusion, and racism.
7. Over the past 20 years, Indigenous people have become more politically active.
8. Macro and intermediate determinants of health represent separate levels of effects that cannot interact with each other.
9. Individual-level determinants of health may be influenced by intermediate and macro determinants of health.
10. In general, the health of Indigenous people is considerably worse than the health of non-Indigenous Canadians

Short Answer Questions

1. Who are the various Indigenous peoples of Canada?
2. What are macro determinants of health? Illustrate your answer with an example.
3. Why do Indigenous people living off reserve typically have better health than those who reside on-reserve?
4. What were the residential schools and what impact have they had on Indigenous health and wellbeing?
5. What are two examples of how the discrimination faced by Indigenous people impacts their capacity to live a healthy life?

Essay Questions

1. Discuss the health status of the Indigenous population. Explain how it is different from the health status of non-Indigenous Canadians. What are the sources of these differences? How can the health gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people be closed?
2. Define three levels at which socio-economic factors affect Indigenous health. Using specific examples, show how these levels can interact with each other.
3. The rates of suicide are much higher in Indigenous communities than in non-Indigenous communities. Why? How might cultural continuity make a difference?