Grant: Project Grant

Every year, thousands of Inuit from Nunavut travel to Manitoba to access healthcare and other services. Some will stay for a day or two, to go to an appointment, and then go home. Others will stay for a longer period of time to access services not offered in Nunavut over a period of a few weeks or months (rehabilitation after an accident, chemotherapy, specialized care for children, education). Some may never return home out of choice or because their needs can only be met in a larger urban centre. Those relocating may relocate alone or with some members of their families, to Winnipeg or other rural regions of Manitoba. We know little about the needs of Inuit accessing services in Manitoba. Objectives/research questions: This study will carefully document the experience and needs of Inuit accessing services in Manitoba. We plan to: 1) develop detailed profiles of Inuit accessing services including length of residence, reasons for coming to Manitoba, types of services accessed, unmet needs, costs and challenges associated with living in or relocating to and accessing services in Manitoba; and 2) explore solution-oriented options with impacted families, the Manitoba Inuit Association and allied health agencies presently serving Inuit in Manitoba. We will use health administrative data housed at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, between 1984 and 2016. Significance: Because the factors effecting the health and wellbeing of Inuit in Manitoba extend beyond the provision of healthcare services ( including justice, education and community services) the project will address demographics, experiences, needs, and solutions pertaining to social services as well as the healthcare environment specifically. Gender analysis This study uses health administrative data to track Kivalliq Inuit's uses of health services in Manitoba, from 1984 to 2016. Sex/gender is a significant variable as patterns of service uses may differ based on sex/gender.