Grant: Project Grant

Historical, colonial, and racist policies continue to affect the health of First Nations people living in Canada, leading to higher rates of cardiovascular (CV) disease and inequities in CV care. The inequities in social determinants of health (SDOH) within First Nations communities further exacerbate health disparities. First Nations women are profoundly affected by SDOH inequity and face unique under-recognized sex-specific risk factors such as adverse pregnancy outcomes, leading to a higher risk of CV disease for both them and their children. Early detection and management of CV risk factors remain paramount for improving First Nations health and reducing mortality. Sex- and First Nations specific determinants of cardiovascular health remain poorly understood, limiting our capacity to enhance tailored and culturally sensitive preventive care. High-resolution MRI imaging of brain and heart can detect early signs of brain and heart injury or dysfunction, which can be precursors to clinical conditions such as vascular cognitive impairment or heart disease. This early detection allows for timely intervention, potentially preventing the progression of these conditions to more severe stages. In order to tease out these complex temporal relationships between exposure to sex- and First Nations-specific determinants of CV outcomes, a prospective cohort of middle-aged First Nations will be very informative, which will be addressed by collecting 10-year prospective data among First Nations men and women from the Huron-Wendat Nation who participated in the Canadian Alliance for Healthy Hearts and Minds (CAHHM)-First Nations initiative. This proposal will use precision medicine and advanced imaging to better understand First Nations and sex-specific determinants of brain and heart health and will help empower First Nations people to advocate for culturally sensitive and tailored preventive care.