Grant: Doctoral Research Award -PA: Research in First Nations, Métis &/or Inuit Health

Education and health go hand in hand; the higher one's education the better one's health. In Canada education is a pivotal issue for Aboriginal people because it is so closely linked with good health. Today, more Aboriginal students are attending post-secondary institutions than ever before. However, attrition rates for Aboriginal students are much higher than for non-Aboriginal students; less than one third of Aboriginal students who start university will acquire a degree. One way to reduce attrition rates is to address barriers that currently face Aboriginal students. Barriers such as lack of supportive relationships, academic challenges, discrimination, and health issues such as anxiety and depression are commonly faced by Aboriginal students. Physical activity may assist in addressing many these barriers. Physical activity is proven to increase academic performance, and buffers against depression and anxiety. Furthermore, group physical activity can build supportive relationships for young people. Thus, a group physical activity program for Aboriginal students could assist in increasing students' abilities to deal with the many challenges they face at University. Increasing the health of Aboriginal students while attending university ultimately increases their health in the future through the attainment of higher education. The goal of this project is to establish a culturally relevant group physical activity program at the University of Saskatchewan for Aboriginal students and study its effect on physical activity levels, supportive relationships, ability to cope with academic challenges, and mental health.