Current status of First Nations environmental health research : État actuel de la recherche en santé environnementale des Premières nations : document d'orientation

The material presented in this scoping paper responds to the need identified by the First Nations Environmental Health Innovation Network to assess existing literature on First Nations and environmental health in order to support ongoing work by the network and by environmental health professionals in First Nation communities. [...] This paper provides a snapshot of the current environmental health research field for First Nations in Canada, identifying key research successes and needs in order to begin to lay a path forward for more comprehensive environmental health research that will effectively serve First Nations in Canada in the years to come. [...] It also refers to the theory and practice of assessing, correcting, controlling, and preventing those factors in the environment that can potentially affect adversely the health of present and future generations.1 The concept of environmental protection adds depth to the above definition of environmental health. [...] The major challenge for First Nations is to develop their own definitions of what environmental health encompasses, to collect and access adequate quantities of baseline environmental monitoring and health data, to develop First Nation-specific research methods, to implement community-based environmental health projects, to effectively share research findings and to create networks of environmenta [...] One major goal of First Nations’ research initiatives will be to generate more comprehensive collections of baseline health and environmental monitoring data and to enable better access to and comprehension of this data by community leaders, policy makers, technicians, and health professionals.