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First Nations Regional Health Survey (RHS) 2008/10 (Community)

Community Survey Questionnaire

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Statistical Highlights
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Notable Findings

(Not applicable as findings; however, notable structural points include that the questionnaire was designed to allow multiple local experts to fill out sections based on knowledge areas. It also explicitly linked community factors—like housing waitlists or presence of language programs—to health outcomes such as diabetes and mental health, anticipating future cross-analysis.)

Abstract

This document presented the full questionnaire used for the Community Survey component of the 2008/10 First Nations Regional Health Survey (RHS). Designed to complement individual-level data, it collected detailed information about community environments, infrastructure, education systems, food security, health services, social programs, cultural initiatives, and governance structures. Field workers were instructed to identify local experts to complete relevant sections, ensuring data quality and contextual relevance. The survey created a standardized means for linking structural determinants—such as water safety, housing quality, and cultural programming—to personal health outcomes captured by the main RHS, strengthening the capacity for holistic health analysis.

RELEASE DATE:

May 1, 2008

CONDUCTED BY:

First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC), in collaboration with regional First Nations organizations and community field workers.

DATA COLLECTION PERIOD:

2008–2010 (aligned with RHS Phase 2 individual-level data collection).

PARTICIPATING COMMUNITIES:

Intended for distribution to over 230 First Nations communities participating in RHS Phase 2, to capture local structural, cultural, and governance conditions alongside individual survey data.

LENGTH & STRUCTURE:

Approximately 20 core pages of questionnaire items, divided into 11 thematic sections: External Environment, Shelter and Infrastructure, Food and Nutrition, Food Costs, Employment/Economic Development, Education, Justice/Safety/Security, Health Services, Social Services, First Nation Identity, and Governance.

Why It Matters

This questionnaire was foundational to understanding how the environments of First Nations communities directly affect the health of their members. By asking about issues like boil water advisories, housing waitlists exceeding 10 years, local language policies, emergency response capacity, and traditional food advisories, it built the groundwork for analyses that treat community context as inseparable from individual wellness. It also provided communities an opportunity to formally document areas of strength—such as powwows, cultural teachings, or local governance—and areas needing urgent investment, like youth centers or safe homes. For Mi’kmaw and other Indigenous nations, this tool recognized that health data must start with the realities of where people live, work, and carry their culture.

Key Topics

  • Housing, environmental safety, and access to clean water

  • Education, cultural language initiatives, and community identity programs

  • Governance structures, self-determination in health and social services

“Short Testimonial here to provide context. Use the Quotation Marks here.”