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"All About Us" Workshop

Watch the highlights from the CAHHM First Nations Cohort “All About Us” Workshop (May 14th to 17th 2019). Additional information about the workshop can be found in the October 2019 “All About Us” paper published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology. 

CJC Open "All About Us" Paper

"All About Us" Workshop

Play Video

Watch the highlights from the CAHHM First Nations Cohort “All About Us” Workshop (May 14th to 17th 2019). Additional information about the workshop can be found in the October 2019 “All About Us” paper published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology. 

CJC Open "All About Us" Paper

Participant Map

Tap each community marker to learn more about who participated in the study.

Move your cursor over each community marker to learn more about who participated in the study.

Our health & where we live

The CAHHM study has identified trends linking health and lifestyle factors like access to public transit, the variety of fresh fruits and vegetables in grocery stores, the prices of popular foods, the availability and prices of cigarettes and alcohol, and the promotion, or lack thereof, of healthy foods in restaurants.

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After collecting detailed data across Canada’s 10 provinces, the study findings were published in the journal Cities and Health.

Read the Cities and Health paper
Read more in McMaster Brighter World

Participant
Snapshot

Click to learn more about the characteristics of each cohort

Click to learn more about the characteristics of each cohort

Demographic & INTERHEART Risk Score Characteristics

Carotid Wall Volume & cardiac risk score by history

Sociocultural Factors

Health Care Access & Use

Contextual Factors

About Us

First Nations Cohort

Non-First Nations Cohort

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Population Health Research Institute
237 Barton Street East
Hamilton, ON L8L 2X2
Canada

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Demographic and IHRS characteristics, adjusted for age and sex

  nOverallCommunity ACommunity BCommunity CCommunity DCommunity ECommunity FCommunity GCommunity H
n1302130218810718019020919913594
Age, years (mean [SD])*130245.5 (13.4)48.6 (12.0)44.2 (14.2)49.1 (12.4)48.2 (10.0)43.0 (15.5)40.9 (13.0)49.4 (12.2)38.6 (13.2)
Sex*, n=1301
Female..860 (66.1%)115 (61.2%)76 (71.0%)141 (78.3%)128 (67.4%)124 (59.3%)121 (60.8%)93 (69.4%)62 (66.0%)
Male..441 (33.9%)73 (38.8%)31 (29.0%)39 (21.7%)62 (32.6%)85 (40.7%)78 (39.2%)41 (30.6%)32 (34.0%)
Family history of myocardial infarction*1271368 (26.4%)63 (30.9%)23 (20.2%)53 (23.2%)57 (25.6%)39 (18.4%)50 (27.1%)52 (32.4%)31 (38.9%)
Elevated cholesterol*1259334 (22.3%)57 (24.0%)26 (22.4%)52 (23.5%)59 (25.4%)23 (8.0%)45 (24.7%)53 (30.4%)19 (25.8%)
Self-reported history of diabetes*1272198 (12.9%)14 (5.4%)12 (9.7%)30 (11.7%)45 (19.3%)9 (3.5%)24 (12.6%)51 (31.0%)13 (16.6%)
Hypertension*1272538 (43.8%)52 (24.9%)36 (37.0%)64 (32.2%)89 (45.3%)90 (49.5%)92 (54.8%)76 (54.7%)39 (54.5%)
Blood pressure, mm Hg*
Systolic (mean [SE])1269130 (0)124 (1)126 (2)126 (1)131 (1)134 (1)135 (1)130 (1)132 (2)
Diastolic (mean [SE])127081 (0)77 (1)76 (1)77 (1)84 (1)85 (1)84 (1)82 (1)83 (1)
Smoking status*, n=1271
Current (in past year)..584 (46.5%)28 (16.9%)64 (61.1%)49 (28.8%)112 (60.8%)86 (42.5%)144 (71.4%)54 (42.5%)47 (48.3%)
Former (quit >1 year ago)..374 (27.8%)65 (34.2%)25 (23.1%)62 (30.3%)50 (23.8%)64 (32.5%)31 (16.5%)51 (34.2%)26 (31.0%)
Never smoked..313 (24.7%)80 (47.8%)16 (14.9%)69 (40.1%)27 (14.9%)49 (23.8%)24 (11.2%)28 (22.1%)20 (19.7%)
Second hand smoke exposure* (≥1 h/week)1271549 (43.6%)31 (18.5%)51 (49.0%)57 (33.0%)108 (58.2%)68 (34.0%)116 (57.8%)50 (38.8%)68 (72.6%)
Abdominal obesity* (WHR†)1268996 (80.5%)127 (67.6%)75 (75.2%)145 (81.7%)160 (88.4%)146 (80.1%)143 (76.6%)123 (92.7%)77 (87.3%)
Leisure physical inactivity*1270834 (63.8%)79 (43.2%)75 (69.3%)115 (59.7%)122 (61.7%)137 (68.7%)140 (69.9%)97 (71.1%)69 (73.6%)
Eat salty foods or snacks one or more times a day*1272814 (64.0%)62 (36.7%)79 (74.7%)112 (63.1%)134 (71.6%)132 (65.6%)144 (70.9%)75 (57.6%)76 (80.0%)
Eat deep fried foods or snacks or fast foods three or more times a week*1272578 (46.7%)23 (14.2%)41 (40.3%)82 (49.7%)105 (58.4%)97 (48.7%)104 (51.6%)59 (46.9%)67 (71.5%)
Eat less than one serving of fruit a day*1272344 (28.3%)38 (23.2%)18 (18.1%)50 (30.9%)38 (21.5%)61 (30.8%)60 (30.2%)47 (37.9%)32 (34.5%)
Eat less than one serving of vegetables a day*1272266 (21.6%)20 (12.5%)13 (12.7%)41 (26.4%)37 (21.4%)38 (18.3%)46 (22.0%)46 (37.5%)25 (25.1%)
Eat meat, or poultry, or both two or more times a day*1272832 (65.9%)79 (46.5%)76 (72.2%)102 (57.7%)139 (74.2%)152 (76.1%)150 (74.7%)64 (49.2%)70 (74.1%)
Depression*1272570 (42.0%)54 (29.5%)54 (47.0%)53 (25.7%)101 (51.1%)107 (51.6%)82 (37.6%)55 (38.1%)64 (64.9%)
Home or work stress*1272544 (38.8%)67 (36.5%)42 (34.3%)77 (37.5%)95 (47.2%)86 (40.0%)62 (26.7%)58 (39.7%)57 (55.7%)
Poor diet quality1272789 (63.6%)47 (29.0%)72 (69.7%)102 (60.8%)136 (74.4%)139 (70.0%)146 (72.6%)68 (54.7%)79 (84.3%)
No alcohol intake1235111 (7.5%)8 (3.7%)6 (4.8%)11 (5.1%)24 (10.7%)26 (11.9%)9 (4.4%)22 (13.2%)5 (5.3%)
Daily alcohol123933 (2.6%)11 (5.7%)2 (2.0%)0 (0.0%)7 (3.7%)6 (2.9%)2 (1.0%)3 (2.2%)2 (2.7%)
Binge drinking, one or more per month1179482 (43.9%)69 (45.8%)46 (47.7%)44 (36.3%)50 (33.4%)72 (39.2%)111 (59.4%)36 (34.7%)54 (56.6%)
Apolipoprotein B (mean [SE])10600.94 (0.01)0.99 (0.02)0.95 (0.02)0.95 (0.02)0.91 (0.02)0.89 (0.02)0.92 (0.02)0.97 (0.03)0.94 (0.03)
Apolipoprotein A (mean [SE])10601.44 (0.01)1.54 (0.02)1.46 (0.03)1.37 (0.02)1.40 (0.02)1.46 (0.02)1.46 (0.02)1.34 (0.03)1.45 (0.03)
Apolipoprotein B:A (mean [SE])10590.67 (0.01)0.66 (0.02)0.67 (0.02)0.71 (0.02)0.68 (0.02)0.63 (0.02)0.65 (0.02)0.73 (0.02)0.66 (0.03)
High school education or higher12441062 (85.2%)167 (97.2%)83 (78.7%)146 (93.7%)159 (86.1%)177 (87.4%)147 (73.4%)111 (83.8%)72 (76.3%)
Married or common law1244645 (51.8%)121 (69.6%)57 (54.6%)86 (54.2%)94 (49.9%)114 (56.8%)94 (48.4%)47 (34.7%)32 (35.6%)
Employed or retired1240781 (62.9%)165 (95.8%)80 (78.5%)135 (85.4%)104 (51.9%)103 (53.9%)77 (42.3%)66 (44.5%)51 (62.1%)
Social disadvantage score‡ (mean [SE])9812.4 (0.1)1.3 (0.1)1.8 (0.2)1.9 (0.1)2.5 (0.1)2.8 (0.1)3.1 (0.1)3.2 (0.2)3.3 (0.2)
High social disadvantage981296 (31.0%)9 (5.8%)12 (16.4%)20 (14.3%)35 (27.8%)63 (43.0%)76 (49.7%)52 (51.1%)29 (44.9%)
Prevalent atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease125945 (2.5%)5 (1.5%)3 (2.1%)5 (1.8%)8 (2.9%)10 (3.2%)8 (3.5%)4 (1.7%)2 (2.6%)
Non-laboratory IHRS (mean [SE])124817.2 (0.2)12.2 (0.5)16.9 (0.6)14.9 (0.5)19.2 (0.5)16.7 (0.5)18.8 (0.5)19.7 (0.6)21.3 (0.7)
Full-laboratory IHRS (mean [SE])102616.5 (0.2)11.9 (0.5)16.8 (0.6)15.1 (0.5)18.8 (0.5)15.8 (0.6)18.3 (0.5)18.4 (0.7)19.8 (0.8)
Carotid vessel wall volume, mm3746905.5 (6.4)887.5 (12.2)899.4 (18.7)852.3 (14.8)921.5 (13.2)917.8 (17.2)NA§912.7 (18.6)998.6 (20.9)
Data are mean (SD), n (%) adjusted for age and sex, or adjusted mean (SE). Age and sex are not adjusted. IHRS=INTERHEART risk score. WHR=waist-to-hip ratio.
* Component factors of the IHRS.
† Abdominal obesity is defined for women as WHR of more than 0·85 and for men as a WHR of more than 0·90.
‡ Social disadvantage score was calculated by income less than CAN$25 000 per year assigned a score of two, income between $25 000 and 75 000 per year a score of one, unemployment (including retirement) was assigned a score of two, and living without a partner was assigned a score of one. The maximum social disadvantage score was five, and the lowest possible score was zero, reflecting the least social disadvantage.
§ Community used carotid B-mode ultrasound mean maximum intimal medial thickness 0·73 (SD 0·27).

Table data source: Explaining the variability in cardiovascular risk factors among First Nations communities in Canada: a population-based study. Lancet Planet Health. doi: 10.1016/S2542-5196(19)30237-2.

CWV and cardiac risk score by atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease history

 No history of cardiovascular diseaseHistory of cardiovascular disease
OverallLow IHRS (0–9)Moderate IHRS (10–15)High IHRS (16–48)
Number per group70113721634819
Non-laboratory IHRS15.9 (7.0)6.7 (1.9)12.5 (1.8)21.8 (4.5)22.8 (8.4)
CWV*, mm3877.4 (178.3)826.5 (166.6)865.4 (167.4)904.8 (184.4)934.4 (167.4)
Data are n or mean (SD). 720 participants had a complete IHRS and an MRI CWV measurement, and 19 had a history of cardiovascular disease. IHRS=INTERHEART risk score. CWV=carotid wall volume.
* ptrend<0·0001 for CWV in people with no history of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, calculated using linear contrasts across low, moderate, and high IHRS groups.

Table data source: Explaining the variability in cardiovascular risk factors among First Nations communities in Canada: a population-based study. Lancet Planet Health. doi: 10.1016/S2542-5196(19)30237-2.

Sociocultural factors, adjusted for age and sex

 nOverallCommunity ACommunity BCommunity CCommunity DCommunity ECommunity FCommunity GCommunity H
Recruited1302130218810718019020919913594
High optimism about future of your community1249597 (48.5%)150 (87.0%)56 (54.4%)79 (54.1%)80 (44.0%)48 (23.4%)76 (38.1%)61 (48.6%)47 (50.1%)
Neighbours work together1231585 (48.4%)110 (62.7%)48 (47.4%)73 (47.1%)60 (31.9%)97 (50.7%)88 (47.2%)53 (40.9%)56 (64.4%)
Neighbours help each other1230825 (67.4%)137 (78.6%)75 (72.2%)118 (76.7%)90 (48.4%)134 (69.0%)126 (65.7%)74 (58.1%)71 (77.6%)
Trust your neighbours1227598 (49.6%)149 (85.8%)36 (35.3%)79 (52.1%)46 (25.2%)102 (52.5%)88 (46.5%)51 (40.8%)47 (52.7%)
High affinity to heritage culture1192646 (53.1%)70 (38.5%)72 (68.2%)88 (54.3%)117 (60.6%)99 (50.1%)81 (56.2%)69 (48.9%)50 (55.1%)
Concerned that community members are exposed to racism1255486 (37.4%)61 (33.7%)53 (48.3%)78 (48.0%)80 (40.5%)69 (33.4%)56 (28.2%)33 (22.6%)56 (60.3%)
Easy access to tobacco1232558 (46.9%)50 (29.8%)38 (38.4%)87 (60.8%)88 (50.9%)94 (48.4%)95 (49.5%)71 (56.5%)35 (38.9%)
Greater than 75% of life in your community1214691 (57.8%)84 (51.4%)45 (43.5%)112 (75.6%)119 (68.4%)100 (51.9%)118 (60.2%)55 (46.1%)58 (61.0%)
Close relationship with five or more family members1193957 (79.6%)145 (83.0%)83 (80.1%)129 (83.4%)128 (73.0%)138 (76.4%)161 (82.5%)98 (78.2%)75 (81.2%)
Screen time at least 2 h/day1209625 (51.0%)105 (61.8%)37 (33.6%)100 (67.1%)92 (50.8%)81 (41.5%)89 (43.7%)55 (45.4%)66 (69.6%)
Data are n (%), adjusted for age and sex.

Table data source: Explaining the variability in cardiovascular risk factors among First Nations communities in Canada: a population-based study. Lancet Planet Health. doi: 10.1016/S2542-5196(19)30237-2.

Health care access and use, adjusted for age and sex

 nOverallCommunity ACommunity BCommunity CCommunity DCommunity ECommunity FCommunity GCommunity H
Recruited1302130218810718019020919913594
Has a regular primary care provider1259898 (70.4%)154 (87.4%)64 (58.6%)160 (100%)145 (74.5%)133 (66.3%)38 (18.4%)119 (87.1%)85 (92.6%)
Visited emergency department in the past year1258529 (42.1%)49 (28.4%)39 (36.6%)39 (24.5%)106 (56.9%)113 (54.6%)84 (41.3%)47 (35.7%)52 (54.0%)
Difficulties getting routine or ongoing care1258297 (22.4%)36 (19.7%)22 (19.4%)27 (15.1%)52 (26.4%)48 (22.5%)54 (26.1%)28 (19.7%)30 (30.3%)
Recommended to increase physical activity1262531 (40.2%)76 (40.7%)30 (26.6%)80 (45.2%)85 (42.3%)69 (33.5%)71 (36.6%)79 (55.2%)41 (45.3%)
Recommended to lose weight1262401 (30.1%)51 (26.9%)29 (25.9%)65 (36.5%)64 (31.6%)46 (22.2%)54 (27.8%)59 (41.0%)33 (36.5%)
Recommended to quit smoking1262358 (28.0%)25 (13.5%)24 (21.8%)20 (11.4%)70 (35.7%)58 (28.1%)87 (44.2%)44 (31.3%)30 (32.5%)
Recommended to reduce stress1262278 (19.1%)40 (20.6%)18 (13.9%)43 (22.0%)46 (21.4%)40 (17.5%)37 (16.4%)30 (19.5%)24 (22.1%)
Recommended to change diet or eating habits, or both1262496 (37.4%)54 (28.6%)39 (35.2%)84 (48.3%)83 (41.5%)52 (25.1%)68 (35.0%)75 (52.4%)41 (45.2%)
Recommended to increase fruit or vegetable intake, or both352227 (64.6%)28 (59.3%)17 (71.6%)44 (64.9%)35 (62.7%)18 (60.4%)25 (65.2%)45 (76.0%)15 (54.1%)
Ever had any cardiac test1250609 (46.9%)109 (57.8%)54 (52.4%)103 (57.7%)84 (39.7%)89 (45.7%)73 (40.8%)56 (34.2%)41 (52.6%)
Ever had an electrocardiogram1250469 (34.7%)91 (46.7%)45 (42.3%)82 (43.5%)68 (31.6%)67 (32.9%)50 (27.0%)36 (20.8%)30 (37.4%)
Ever had an echocardiogram1250137 (9.7%)36 (17.3%)10 (8.8%)22 (10.7%)9 (4.0%)18 (8.3%)10 (5.3%)18 (10.9%)14 (17.1%)
Ever had a cardiac MRI125075 (5.7%)9 (3.9%)7 (6.6%)8 (4.2%)13 (6.2%)11 (4.9%)10 (5.3%)7 (4.3%)10 (14.0%)
Currently taking prescribed medication1255614 (45.9%)96 (49.3%)56 (52.9%)105 (58.6%)82 (38.0%)70 (33.5%)75 (40.4%)78 (51.0%)52 (62.4%)
Always adheres to current medication as prescribed629428 (68.5%)89 (91.9%)38 (68.3%)71 (67.6%)50 (51.8%)59 (83.8%)39 (55.0%)47 (59.4%)35 (70.9%)
Taking a statin medicine1257172 (8.8%)40 (13.1%)12 (7.4%)27 (8.7%)31 (10.6%)8 (1.8%)19 (8.1%)29 (12.0%)6 (6.7%)
Taking aspirin1257155 (7.9%)25 (7.1%)14 (9.2%)20 (6.1%)30 (10.3%)17 (4.4%)23 (10.2%)21 (8.1%)5 (5.5%)
Taking a blood pressure lowering medication1227313 (20.6%)42 (15.9%)32 (28.7%)44 (17.7%)52 (21.7%)40 (16.5%)39 (21.4%)42 (21.6%)22 (29.8%)
Did not fill prescription because of cost1251181 (13.5%)15 (7.9%)15 (13.1%)10 (5.4%)48 (24.1%)26 (12.2%)20 (9.7%)25 (17.4%)22 (22.9%)
Saw doctor or nurse within 1 day last time they were sick1256616 (49.3%)86 (49.2%)52 (49.8%)57 (35.5%)101 (54.2%)81 (39.8%)143 (72.3%)62 (45.6%)34 (37.2%)
Recent screening for high blood pressure12561107 (89.4%)170 (97.6%)89 (86.6%)154 (95.5%)155 (81.4%)168 (86.4%)154 (82.4%)130 (96.9%)87 (95.5%)
Recent screening for high cholesterol1254646 (51.1%)135 (76.3%)51 (51.3%)108 (63.9%)87 (41.9%)74 (37.0%)54 (30.1%)82 (55.9%)55 (71.5%)
Recent screening for diabetes1254768 (60.2%)132 (73.1%)55 (51.9%)120 (70.0%)116 (58.3%)95 (47.8%)91 (49.4%)98 (69.5%)61 (71.9%)
Data are n (%), adjusted for age and sex.

Table data source: Explaining the variability in cardiovascular risk factors among First Nations communities in Canada: a population-based study. Lancet Planet Health. doi: 10.1016/S2542-5196(19)30237-2.

Contextual Factors

 Community ACommunity BCommunity CCommunity DCommunity ECommunity FCommunity GCommunity H
Safe walking community (n=1228)0.710.150.180.160.40.340.180.51
Percentage of top 10 nationally available fruits are available on reserve000.40.80.70.80.40
Percentage of top 10 nationally available vegetables are available on reserve000.40.80.70.80.40
Affordability of fruits and vegetables on reserve (ratio)*0.811.360.941.231.7920.911.76
Affordability of fruits and vegetables off reserve (ratio)*0.530.890.620.761.171.410.641.16
Median time to drive by car to a grocery store, min (n=1032)1050202015102520
Distance (km) from reserve to centre with hospital17.462.819.416.975.15–9030.3169
Factors were collected from community audits except for safe walking and time to drive to a grocery store, which are summarised from individual responses. Safe walking community shows the percent of community members who, on average, answered in a positive agreement to eight questions about safety and walking conditions within a 10–15 min walk from their home. Median driving time to a grocery store was restricted to those with a car.
* Affordability is a ratio of prices from the First Nations audit to the national average price for a specified set of fruits and vegetables from the off-reserve provincial communities. 0·80 can be interpreted as spending 80% as much on fruits and vegetables as the national average, and 2·00 as pending twice as much as the national average.

Table data source: Explaining the variability in cardiovascular risk factors among First Nations communities in Canada: a population-based study. Lancet Planet Health. doi: 10.1016/S2542-5196(19)30237-2.