Behind the Pandemic in Aboriginal Communities - Interagency ...

experienced traumatic life events such as childhood abuse, sexual or physical assault, orbeen taken away from their family and placed in the child welfare system.The everyday lives of Aboriginal peoples are affected by the general socio-economic,cultural and environmental conditions in Canada. This includes broad issues likethe economic and social policies of our governments, the performance of the globaleconomy, the design of our neighbourhoods and the health of our environment.Many of the present day challenges and injustices faced by Aboriginal peoples are aresult of systemic and structural inequalities related to colonization, racism, entrenchedpoverty, and historical trauma. These inequalities are a result of the unjust nature of thepolitical and economic systems in a society and they affect a particular group of peopleas a whole.While Aboriginal peoples are disproportionately affected in Canada’s HIV epidemic,it is important to recognize that not all Aboriginal peoples are at risk of HIV infection.Some people are more vulnerable than others as a result of other forms of social andeconomic exclusion related to gender, race, sexual orientation, and ability.As well, Aboriginal peoples and communities have individual, family, community, andcultural strengths that provide a protective buffer from vulnerability. Resiliency is theability of individuals and communities to “bounce back” from and cope with stressfuland challenging circumstances better than expected.The factors in diagram 1 reflect the Public Health Agency of Canada’s (PHAC)determinants of health. The National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) hasidentified additional factors – called the broader determinants of Aboriginal health- that contribute to present day injustices and health disparities faced by Aboriginalpeoples. PHAC has identified twelve determinants of health that affect the healthof Canadians and contribute to health inequities, including income and social status,education, employment and working conditions, social support networks, healthychildhood development, social environments, physical environments, personal practicesand coping skills, biology and genetics, health services, gender, and culture. The broaderdeterminants include colonization, globalization, migration, cultural continuity, access,territory, systemic poverty, and self-determination.10