In Canada, the coming of Aboriginal self-government and advent of new information technologies in the health field make essential the need for reliable and current health information for policy development, program planning and resource management. Aboriginal health authorities and other levels of government can be proactive and more effective if they have the ability to generate comprehensive information on health disparities and if they have the capacity to assess health disparities over time and place. The First Nations and Inuit Regional Health Survey, undertaken in 1996-97, represents a new relationship for First Nations and Inuit research into health disparities in Canada. The survey process helped forge the principles of First Nation and Inuit ownership, control and access (OCA) over health information. The technical aspects of the survey, while a significant accomplishment, paled in comparison to development of the OCA process. The success of the first wave of surveys has laid the foundation for further institutional development and capacity building of First Nations and Inuit authorities to develop and manage the health information systems necessary to manage health care systems across Canada.
Learning Objectives: Outcomes which describe the emergence of First Nation self-governance over health information in Canada: 1. Investigators will identify the importance of First Nation self governance over health information. 2. Investigators will describe how the First Nation and Inuit Regional Health Survey process developed a new research relationship to understand health disparities of First Nation and Inuit people in Canada. 3. The investigators will discuss how the survey laid the foundation for further institutional development and capacity building for First Nation and Inuit peoples in Canada
Keywords: Indian Self-Governance, Health Information Systems
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.