VANCOUVER - Aboriginal health has made significant gains in some areas but has declined in others, according to the second report on the health and well being of native people released yesterday.
"The gains are significant," said Provincial Health Officer Perry Kendall. "Life expectancy has improved and the gap between aboriginal people and non-aboriginal people has closed somewhat."
Kendall presented Pathways to Health and Healing to an audience of aboriginal and health leaders yesterday at the Bill Reid Art Gallery.
The second study of its kind surveyed 167,782 people identified by federal and provincial databases over a span of six years.
Of the 57 health indicators measured, 18 showed improvement while 10 turned for the worse.
The gains made in life expectancy have been made due to a decline in mortality from external causes such as motor vehicle collisions, overdoses, suicides and alcohol poisoning.
However, "aboriginal people are less likely to be engaged in clinical preventative screening like PAP tests and mammography and are actually more likely to die from medically preventable conditions like diabetes and pneumonias," Kendall said.
Kendall suggests health providers need to do more to reach out to this group.
"It's the kind of services you offer and the cultural value of those services," he said.
Dharm Makwana reports for Vancouver 24 hours.
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