Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Social, cultural and environmental determinants of health have been widely linked to the health of Indigenous peoples globally, however many gaps in research on these determinants remain. Addressing these gaps requires an expansion of our understanding of health beyond a predominantly biomedical perspective. This research uses a mixed-methods approach towards the case of Inuit health in Nunavik to explore this issue further. It draws upon literature from epidemiology and population health, interviews with key informant health experts, and regression analysis of self-rated health from the Nunavik Regional Health Survey dataset (Qanuippitaa? How are we?) to identify determinants of Inuit and Indigenous health. Results demonstrate the potential for more appropriate and accurate indicators of Inuit and Indigenous health. This research provides recommendations for critical and previously overlooked determinants of Inuit health in Nunavik that are also of potential value for other Indigenous populations.