Analysis of Health Statistics for Status Indians in British Columbia 1991 - 1998

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Introduction

This report was produced by the British Columbia Vital Statistics Agency, as part of an on-going project undertaken on behalf of the Medical Services Branch of Health Canada. The report presents key birth-related and mortality statistics for the B.C. Status Indian population. Information is also presented for the South Mainland, Vancouver Island, North West and North East administrative areas used by Medical Services Branch, Health Canada.

The need for accurate health statistics and population estimates for the Status Indian population is acute. Consistent and reliable data are essential to monitor health status, to assess health needs, and to plan, fund, and deliver health care programs to the province's aboriginal people. When the project was first undertaken in the late 1980s, little data were available for the Status Indian population in the province. For the last five years, this project has attempted to meet these needs by publishing Status Indian population estimates and summary health statistics. Over the years, the quality of the data has improved significantly, and work continues on providing meaningful and reliable statistics.

The entire time series of population estimates and summary statistics are updated annually for this publication. As a result of these enhancements, readers who maintain a library of resource materials should treat this report as a replacement to previous publications, and the data in this report should not be compared to previous reports.

In the last decade, there has been increasing interest in identifying and measuring the health status of all First Nations people in the province. This report presents indicators for one section of that broad population, the residents of B.C. who are registered as Status Indian.

This project uses a unique methodology to identify the Status Indian births and deaths in British Columbia, and to produce provincial and regional Status Indian population estimates. Readers are encouraged to read the sections of this report on Definition of Status Indian and Population Estimates to become familiar with the terms and methodology used in this report.

The British Columbia Vital Statistics Agency would like to acknowledge the ongoing participation and support of the Medical Services Branch of Health Canada for this project and publication.