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RHS 2002/03: Results for Adults, Youth and Children in First Nations Communities

First Nations Regional Longitudinal Health Survey (RHS) – Technical Report

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Statistical Highlights
  • 33.6% of homes required major repairs (p. 44)
  • 22,602 surveys were completed (10,962 adults, 4,983 youth, 6,657 children)
  • 61.9% of households lived in band-owned housing (p. 42)
Notable Findings
  • First Nations adults reported higher disability and chronic condition rates than the general Canadian population (p. 52)
  • Those who speak First Nations languages reported more barriers accessing health services (p. 36)
  • Housing conditions were significantly worse than the national average, with overcrowding and mould linked to respiratory illness (p. 47–49)

Abstract

This technical report from the First Nations Regional Longitudinal Health Survey (RHS) 2002/03 presents national-level data for First Nations adults, youth, and children living in First Nations communities. It offers a culturally grounded analysis using a unique interpretive framework developed by the First Nations Information Governance Committee. The report spans topics from demographics, education, and employment to health status, chronic disease, mental wellness, language, and housing conditions. Methodology included a sample of over 22,000 surveys with detailed data stratified by region, age group, and gender.

The findings provide a baseline for tracking longitudinal change in First Nations health and offer evidence for program and policy development rooted in Indigenous worldviews and governance. This work underscores the need for culturally relevant health services, language preservation, and infrastructure improvements.

RELEASE DATE:

November 2005

CONDUCTED BY:

First Nations Centre (National Aboriginal Health Organization) under the governance of the First Nations Information Governance Committee, with support from 10 regional First Nations organizations.

DATA COLLECTION PERIOD:

August 2002 – November 2003

PARTICIPATING COMMUNITIES:

238 First Nations communities across 10 regions in Canada (excluding Nunavut)

LENGTH & STRUCTURE:

317 pages, organized into 34 thematic chapters covering Adults, Youth, and Children, plus appendices on methodology, contributors, and participating communities.

Why It Matters

This report marked a foundational moment in First Nations-led health data collection, establishing a baseline for wellness grounded in Indigenous concepts. It showed, with precision and breadth, how structural conditions—like housing, education, and cultural suppression—impact health in tangible ways. The evidence gathered underlines the pressing need for services that reflect First Nations realities: where language connects to care access (p. 36), and where overcrowded homes directly correlate with diseases like TB, asthma, and bronchitis (p. 49).

By using an Indigenous cultural framework—not a Western model—the RHS laid groundwork for wellness models that begin with vision, relationship, reason, and action. This isn’t just a dataset; it’s a reclamation of perspective. The report called for systemic change, based on data that belongs to and is interpreted by the communities it represents.

Key Topics

  • Disability and chronic conditions among adults
  • Language loss and cultural connection
  • Housing quality, overcrowding, and environmental health risk

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