National Aboriginal Health Organization Launches Journal of Aboriginal Health on HPV

Ottawa, ON (April 12, 2012) – The National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) is pleased to announce the launch of its latest issue of the Journal of Aboriginal Health. This, the eleventh issue of the Journal, has been created in partnership with the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and Health Canada and is devoted entirely to research on Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer in First Nations, Inuit and Métis.

Launched in 2004, the peer-reviewed Journal is the only one of its kind in the world. Each issue includes articles from leading health scholars, academics and Aboriginal community members. In addition to offering in-depth analysis on emerging issues in the field, each issue includes original research, editorials and suggestions for further reading.Last year, Journal of Aboriginal Health articles were downloaded 58,729 times and were read by First Nations, Inuit and Métis community members, healthcare providers, government, researchers and academics across Canada and around the world.

The findings published in this issue of the Journal “are a step towards filling the information gaps, and can inform and tailor policies, programming, and healthcare for First Nations, Inuit and Métis people,” says Simon Brascoupé, A/CEO of NAHO.

Despite being the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world, and the cause of approximately 350 deaths in Canada in 2011, there is very little information on the incidence of HPV among First Nations, Inuit and Métis. Regional studies on the incidence of cervical cancer for First Nations, Inuit and Métis women indicate that it is higher in these populations than the rest of Canada. To download this and other issues of the Journal of Aboriginal Health, please go to www.naho.ca/journal.

“For the past 12 years NAHO has been a leader in the research and dissemination of health information and the Journal of Aboriginal Health is an example of our world class work”, said Simon Brascoupé, A/CEO. “Since we announced the closing of NAHO we have received inquiries from universities, research institutes and a medical school as possible homes for the journal and our other holdings.”

It is hoped that a special issue of the Journal focusing entirely on Inuit health will be published in the fall. The Inuit Health issue will be another example of the distinction based approach to knowledge translation that NAHO’s three Centres have taken.

For more information on NAHO visit www.naho.ca

NAHO – a leader in creating and sharing evidence-based research on First Nations, Inuit and Métis health with communities, health providers and partner organizations.

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For media inquiries, contact:

Trevor Eggleton, Acting Manager, Communications
National Aboriginal Health Organization
Tel: (613) 237-9462 ext. 505 / Toll Free: 1-877-602-4445 ext. 505
Cell: (613) 863-7765 / E-mail: teggleton@naho.ca