First Nations Regional Health Survey
The First Nations Regional Health Survey (FNRHS, or RHS for short) is the only First Nations-governed, national health survey in Canada. It collects information about on reserve and northern First Nations communities based on both Western and traditional understandings of health and well-being.
How the RHS Came to Be
The Regional Health Survey (RHS) was developed in response to two key events that took place in the 1990s – to act on the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP) and to address the exclusion of Aboriginal peoples in major StatsCan surveys.
In the mid-1990s the Assembly of First Nations Chiefs Committee on Health mandated that a survey be implemented every four years that gathers data regarding First Nations and Inuit health across Canada. This survey was to be inspired and reflecting of First Nations and Inuit ways of life. At the same token the survey had to maintain comparability with other major health surveys. Thus was born the First Nations and Inuit Regional Longitudinal Health Survey (RHS).
RHS Phase 4
REGIONAL HEALTH SURVEY (RHS) PHASE 4 UPDATE
The Regional Health Survey (RHS) is currently in Phase 4. Surveys are being conducted by trained fieldworkers from the community, with support from the Data Governance team. The current overall project completion is 75% across all actively surveyed communities. Our region is among the highest in Canada for RHS participation. The team is working towards a final completion target of 80 – 85% which we hope to achieve by the end of August 2025.
Community Progress Update, as of July 10, 2025
Completed or Nearing Completion
- We’koqma’q First Nation – 100%
- Wagmatcook First Nation – 100%
- Annapolis Valley First Nation – 100%
- Eskasoni First Nation – 93%
- Miawpukek First Nation – 90%
- Glooscap First Nation – 70%
Ongoing Data Collection
- Sipekne’katik – 60%
- Potlotek First Nation – 50%
- Wasoqopa’q – 50%
- Membertou First Nation – 47%
- Paqtnkek First Nation – 45%
- Millbrook First Nation – 40%
- Pictou Landing – 39%
- Bear River – 20%
We continue to work closely with local fieldworkers, community leadership, Health Directors, and health centres to ensure that the data collection process is respectful, inclusive, and reflective of community needs and values.
RHS Phase 3
2010-20
The RHS Phase 3 report is the culmination of five years of hard work by thousands of passionate, dedicated people working in a variety of capacities, including survey coordination, management, and development led by the staff of FNIGC’s national offices, and survey deployment, coordination and data gathering led by our Regional Partners. Most importantly, we acknowledge the more than 20,000 First Nations community members who took the time to share their information with us by completing the survey questionnaire.
RHS Phase 2
2008-10
Since the deployment of RHS Phase 1 a second phase (Phase 2) was completed between 2008-2010. A total of 21,757 surveys were collected from 216 First Nations communities. The results for the 2008-10 Regional Health Survey can be found here. It contains a comprehensive analysis based on the 4 directions model of health, information about the RHS methodology and profiles of the participant communities.
RHS Phase 1
Data collection for the next round of surveys took place between the Fall of 2002 to mid-2003. This time the survey was only administered in First Nations communities. The project was also changed its name to the “First Nations Regional Longitudinal Health Survey.” The 2002-2003 round of RHS is considered to be RHS Phase 1, distinct from the pilot as it no longer contains information regarding Inuit peoples. Nationally, a total of 22,602 surveys were completed in 238 First Nations communities across Canada. Phase 1 also serves as the basis for comparison for subsequent rounds of RHS.
RHS Pilot Phase
1997
The first iteration of the RHS that took place in 1997 is sometimes referred to as the “pilot phase”. It involved both First Nations and Inuit peoples from across Canada. The developers (FNIGC) intended for the RHS to be a longitudinal study, meaning the survey would be completed by the same participating communities and First Nations individuals over 4 cycles. in 2008-10, the RHS removed the longitudinal element for various reasons, and continued with random sampling methods to select communities and First Nations respondents.
RHS Background Materials
1997
“It has been quite remarkable over the past 18 years to see how much capacity has developed within UNSM. Their ability to do survey research is impressive.” - Dr. Fred C. Wein PhD, MA, BA. Dalhousie University
