Study reveals trend of early and preventable death among First Nations – The Globe and Mail

Aug. 19, 2015

Members of First Nations communities are more than twice as likely to face an early and avoidable death than other Canadians, with the greatest risk faced by native women and young adults, according to a new benchmark study by Statistics Canada.

The sweeping study, using data from the 1991 long-form census, tracks mortality rates of 61,220 native adults and 2.5-million non-aboriginal Canadians over a 15-year period.

The results show a trend that widened over the course of the study, with the First Nations group significantly more likely to die before they reached their 75th birthday and from preventable conditions. Diabetes, disorders linked to alcohol and drug use, and injuries were the leading causes.

Read More: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/study-reveals-trend-of-early-and-preventable-death-among-first-nations/article26029534/