Access to Healthcare at Attawapiskat Community

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Aboriginal health is one of the pivotal aspects of the Canadian healthcare system due to the vulnerability of this population under the social determinants of health. One such determinant is access to healthcare which is thought to be insufficient for the community. According to Mikkonen and Raphael (2010), the aboriginal status of the Attawapiskat community is determined by the history of their colonization and isolated residence, marking their insufficient access to healthcare services. In particular, although this population constitutes approximately 3.8% of Canadian citizens, they lack proper health services due to rural residency and poverty (Mikkonen & Raphael, 2010). Talaga (2016) states that this community is situated in a remote area where conventional healthcare services are not provided regularly. People are exposed to reservations under the historical impact of 140 years of residential schools’ existence, which segregated the native people from the rest of the population. Thus, general healthcare services are underprovided to Attawapiskat residents.

In addition, mental healthcare is in crisis in the community due to the under-addressed concerns of increased levels of mental health issues. Indeed, as stated by Payne (2016), people living ins a small and isolated community where mental issues lead to a series of suicide attempts reaching 11 attempts in one day, are especially vulnerable. Indeed, teenagers commit suicide under the pressure of social and economic factors, which leads to an increased number of people whose relatives or friends attempted suicide (CBC News, 2016). However, mental healthcare remains underdeveloped here, with specialists traveling to the community very seldom without being able to provide necessary services on a regular basis (Payne, 2016). Therefore, it is essential to improve the Attawapiskat community’s access to healthcare to ensure that this determinant of health does not threaten their well-being and longevity.