First Nations, Inuit and Métis determinants of health

Refers to determinants of health related to First Nations (status and non-status), Métis and Inuit individuals.

Social Determinants of Health: The non-medical factors that influence health outcomes. They are the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live and age, and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life.

First Nations: The preferred terminology for Indigenous peoples of what is now Canada, and their descendants, who are neither Métis nor Inuit. First Nations people who are legally registered as Indian under the Indian Act are considered “status,” while those who are not are considered “non status.” A First Nations person’s status can have many implications, including on their health and wellness.

Inuit: An Inuktitut term meaning the people who live in communities across the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (Northwest Territories), Nunavut, Nunavik (Northern Quebec), and Nunatsiavut (Northern Labrador) land claim regions. They share a common cultural heritage and language. Inuit are one of three recognized Indigenous peoples in Canada: the others are First Nations and Métis.

Métis: A person who self-identifies as Métis, is of historic Métis ancestry, is distinct from other Aboriginal peoples, and is accepted by the Métis Nation.