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Aboriginal People in Manitoba 2000 Chapter 2 : Health

Disabilities refer to difficulties experienced in performing an activity in a manner or within the range considered normal for human beings. Types of disability include limitations in mobility, agility, hearing, seeing, speaking, and limitations imposed by a learning disability or mental illness.

According to 1996 Census data, 10.6% of Manitobans of all ages reported a long-term disability. The percentages for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Manitobans were similar: 10.2% and 10.7% respectively. However, as in the case of mortality and many other health statistics, the relatively low Aboriginal percentage is because of the younger Aboriginal population. The likelihood of experiencing a disability increases with age.

In every age group, Aboriginal people were more likely than non-Aboriginal people to report a disability – usually between 1.5 to 2 times as likely. Metis people in particular reported high rates of disability:

Aboriginal people within any specific age group are more likely than other Canadians to have hearing, sight and/or speech difficulties. Mobility disabilities occur at similar rates for both populations.²⁹

Among First Nations people under age 65, disability rates are far higher off-reserve than on, and highest of all in Winnipeg. This is presumably because of better access to health care services making persons with disabilities more likely to migrate to urban centres.³⁰ In Winnipeg, this may lead to the impression that First Nations disability rates are much higher than non-Aboriginal rates. In fact, 9.4% of all registered Indians in Manitoba report a disability, compared to 10.7% of non-Aboriginal people, again because of the younger age profile.

The numbers of disabled Aboriginal people in the working age population will grow substantially in coming years as the population ages, particularly because of the increasing prevalence and earlier onset of Type II Diabetes. Already, 20% of Status Indians in Winnipeg aged 30-64 report a long-term disability.

Across Manitoba, 13,015 Aboriginal people reported a disability on the 1996 Census. Of these, 7,630 were Status Indians, 4,605 Metis, and 710 Non-Status or other Aboriginal. Only 3,640 disabled Aboriginal people normally resided on reserve, or 28%. 9,330 lived off reserve, including 5,280 in Winnipeg.³¹

Aboriginal communities and organizations express concern regarding mental health service for their people. Although hospital utilization rates for mental disorders of Status Indians are less than total Manitoba rates, it may be that this is influenced by the availability of services in rural and remote areas. However, in the Winnipeg core area, Status Indian hospitalization for mental illness for the ages between 10 and 34 is more than double for other Winnipeggers in that age group.³²