Behind the Pandemic in Aboriginal Communities - Interagency ...

9/27/2010Broader Determinants ofAboriginal Health cont’d• Poverty: Systemic poverty threatens the health ofAboriginal peoples and communities. This povertycan be traced back to colonization and ongoingenforced dependency upon government bodies.Aboriginal communities may not have the resourcesto access and maintain housing and infrastructuresuch as roads, water, and sewage. Aboriginalpeoples living in urban centres may not haveadequate resources to access safe housing,nutritious food, education, adequate employment,and other resources.Broader Determinants ofAboriginal Health cont’d• Cultural continuity: Aboriginal peoples andcommunities are healthier when theircultures, languages, and traditional practicesare kept alive and valued.• Migration: Aboriginal peoples are highlymobile, often moving back and forth betweenurban and rural communities. This can haveimplications for support networks, educationalcontinuity, housing, and access to importantcommunity events and practices.75 1