Yellowknife (Oct 06/03) - While aboriginals in the North are in better health than those from the South, the situation is getting worse.

Sixty per cent of the NWT aboriginal population over 15 said they were in excellent or very good health. However, only 31 per cent of those 55 and over said the same thing. Fifty-seven per cent of the Nunavut aboriginal population over 15 said they were in excellent or very good health. Only 30 per cent of those 55 and over said the same thing. 3.2 per cent of NWT aboriginals and 1.8 per cent of Nunavut aboriginals reported suffering from diabetes. In 1996/1997 the combined percentage for the two territories was 2.3 per cent. Inuktitut remains the strongest aboriginal language in Canada, with 82 per cent of Inuit of all ages saying they knew the language well enough to carry on a conversation. Fifty-three per cent of Inuit lived in crowded conditions compared with 13 per cent in urban areas and 19 per cent in rural areas outside the Canadian Arctic. While still high, that's an eight per cent drop in five years.

"The statistics as a snapshot look good compared to the south. However, the trend is that we are rapidly catching up," said Colin Eddie, director of the Dogrib Community Services Board in Rae.

The statistics Eddie is talking about come from the Aboriginal Peoples Survey: well-being of the non-reserve aboriginal population 2001 released on Sept. 24.

NWT aboriginal groups say they already knew what to expect.

"Our first impression is that we are not really surprised by the numbers," said Audrey Zoe, executive director with the Native Women's association of the NWT.

In the Mackenzie Delta, the survey data reveals what was already known.

"From what I've heard and related to what we know, the numbers (from the survey) reflect pretty well what I know is happening in our own region," said Alestine Andre, heritage researcher with the Gwich'in Social and Cultural Institute in Tsiigehtchic.

What these groups know is that aboriginals are not as healthy as they once were.

"These health concerns are related to changes in lifestyle. People are being less active on the land and leading a more sedentary life," said Andre, speaking from her office in Tsiigehtchic. Zoe said that the health issues have always been like that and they likely won't be decreasing anytime soon.

"With this being an election year, we should be taking this survey seriously," Zoe said.

Eddie agrees, and adds that more people have to get on board to help.

"We are frantically trying to educate people so we can nip this thing in the bud," Eddie said.

The response

Close to 5,000 NWT residents and 4,600 Nunavummiut answered the survey. In all, close to 100,000 aboriginals from across Canada took part.

The survey found that aboriginals in the North are less likely to have chronic health conditions compared to the rest of Canada.

In the NWT, 3.2 per cent of aboriginals over 15 reported having diabetes. Only 1.8 per cent in Nunavut reported suffering from the disease.

The number of Nunavut cases though has a "use with caution" annotation.

The national average was seven per cent.

Aboriginals in Ontario were the most effected by diabetes, with 9.3 per cent reporting they suffered from it.

Andre said that while the rates of diabetes are lower in the NWT, they are going up.

So is high blood pressure.

Diabetes in the North was at 2.3 per cent for NWT and Nunavut combined in the 1996/1997 Statistics Canada Census.

Arthritis/rheumatism was the most common chronic condition across Canada in the 2001 survey with 19.3 per cent in Canada saying they suffered from the disease. Those numbers drop to 11.5 per cent and 7.3 per cent in NWT and Nunavut respectively.

High blood pressure, asthma, stomach problems and heart problems were all less common in the North than elsewhere in Canada.