Indigenous Children’s Health Report

Keenan Research Centre – Research Programs

Centre for Research on Inner City Health

Indigenous Children’s Health Report: Health Assessment in Action

(Eds.) Janet Smylie, MD MPH; Paul Adomako, MSc

Contributing Authors:
Sue Crengle PhD(c) (New Zealand)
Jane Freemantle PhD (Australia)
Gilbert Gallaher PhD (Canada)
Daniel McAullay PhD(c) (Australia)
Kelly McShane PhD (Canada)
Maile Taualii PhD (c) (United States)

The focus of the Indigenous Children’s Health Report is First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children’s health status and assessment in Canada (ages birth to twelve years). There are also chapters on Indigenous children’s health status and assessment for Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. Our hope is that this report will be used as both a reference and advocacy tool by key Indigenous children’s health stakeholders in Canada and abroad.The report includes not only information describing what we know about the health of Indigenous children and how we know this, but also best practices on how health assessment information can be applied to improve the health of Indigenous children. Critical to the resolution of Indigenous child health disparities is not only the generation of health information, but also the application of this information to health policies, programs, and services.

Download full report (10.7 MB PDF file)

Key Findings:
The report documents striking Indigenous/non-Indigenous health status disparities in all four countries. Common health status disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous children found in all four countries include:

o infant mortality rates that are 1.7 to 4 times higher than those of non-Indigenous infants
o higher rates of sudden infant death syndrome
o higher rates of child injury, accidental death, and suicide
o higher rates of ear infections
o a disproportionate burden of respiratory tract illness and mortality
o a disproportionate burden of dental caries
increased exposure to environmental contaminants, including tobacco smoke

In addition to detailing health status inequities, the authors locate the roots of Indigenous child health disparities in colonization; document differential access to healthcare, economic, and social resources; and share successful strategies for change.

Contact:

Janet Smylie, MD MPH
Research Scientist
Centre for Research on Inner City Health
The Keenan Research Centre in the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute
St. Michael’s Hospital.
Janet.smylie@utoronto.ca

Additional Contacts:

Canadian Chapter:
Kelly McShane, Ph.D. C. Psych (Supervised Practice)
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychology
Ryerson University
Kmcshane@psych.ryerson.ca

Australian Chapter:
Jane Freemantle, PhD
Associate Professor
Principal Research Fellow
Centre for Health and Society
Melbourne School of Population Health
The University of Melbourne
j.freemantle@unimelb.edu.au

Daniel McAullay, PhD (c)
Senior Research Officer
PhD Candidate
Telethon Institute for Child Health Research
mcaullay@gmail.com

New Zealand Chapter:
Sue Crengle, PhD (c)
Head of Discipline
Senior Lecturer Medical
Te Kupenga Hauora Maori &
School of Population Health
University of Auckland
s.crengle@auckland.ac.nz

United States Chapter:
Maile Taualii, MPH PhD (c)
Director, Native Hawaiian Epidemiology Center
Papa Ola Lokahi
mtaualii@papaolalokahi.org