Statistical Highlights
Notable Findings
(Not applicable for findings, but notably, this questionnaire was crafted to combine standard epidemiological questions with culturally relevant content such as traditional food intake, language use, residential school impacts, and perceptions of personal balance in mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical life. It also addressed direct measures of self-determination by asking about participation in cultural events, challenges facing communities, and the strengths identified by respondents.)
Abstract
This document is the full adult-level questionnaire used for the 2008/10 cycle of the First Nations Regional Health Survey (RHS). Created under the governance of FNIGC and its regional partners, the survey targeted First Nations adults aged 18 and over, aiming to capture a holistic picture of health that included chronic diseases, mental wellness, lifestyle factors, cultural involvement, and experiences with healthcare systems. Administered by local field workers using secure laptop systems, it included comprehensive sections on housing, income, traditional and Western healthcare use, nutrition, substance use, mental health, personal safety, and experiences of racism and control over life. This tool laid the foundation for building an evidence base aligned with First Nations understandings of wellness and guided future community planning, advocacy, and policy development.
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Designed for use in more than 230 First Nations communities across Canada, administered by trained local field workers using laptop-based Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) systems.
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Why It Matters
This questionnaire was central to ensuring that First Nations adults could describe their health and life experiences in their own terms. By integrating questions on everything from diabetes management and mental health struggles to traditional spirituality and participation in powwows, it captured a multi-dimensional view of wellness. It recognized the lasting effects of colonial systems—asking directly about residential school impacts and whether respondents felt racism harmed their self-esteem—while also making space to record resilience, such as engagement in cultural teachings and social connections. For Mi’kmaw and other Indigenous communities, it provided a culturally relevant, self-governed instrument to define what matters in health, moving beyond biomedical snapshots to embrace the full context of life on the land and within community.
Key Topics
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Chronic conditions, disabilities, and access to both traditional and Western health services
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Housing quality, food security, and economic participation
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Cultural identity, language use, personal wellness, and impacts of residential schools