Grant: Project Grant

In Canada, and globally, the burden of non-communicable diseases and mental health issues is disproportionately borne by Indigenous peoples, primarily due to colonization, historical trauma, and the resulting inequitable distribution of social and biogeographic determinants of health. The added threat of extreme climate events and their impacts on land and food systems, livelihoods and infrastructures further amplifies Indigenous peoples' experience of social and health inequities. Despite the development of national and international frameworks of indicators used to monitor progress on NCD health outcomes within countries, there is no minimum set of standard NCD-related health equity indicators for Indigenous peoples in Canada. Our data systems are also limited in their capacity to measure and monitor health inequities and their broad determinants. Approaches needed to improve surveillance systems and reduce inequities include Indigenous leadership and inclusion and collaboration.