Rapid Implementation of a Shared COVID-19 Tracking and Response Platform for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Populations in Canada

As COVID-19 rapidly spreads across Canada, the morbidity and mortality rates are likely to follow the same patterns as H1N1, and be significantly higher in First Nation, Inuit and Métis (FNIM) populations compared to non-Indigenous Canadians. Thus, there exists an urgent and currently unmet need to track and respond to incidences of COVID-19 in these populations. Any effort to do so will need to bridge persistent gaps in Indigenous health information system infrastructure while also acknowledging distinct, nation-based FNIM data sovereignty. With these core requirements and key challenges in mind, this project will build on existing networks of Indigenous health information partnerships with FNIM, Indigenous, federal, provincial/territorial (P/T) and allied governing bodies to rapidly implement a shared COVID19 tracking and response platform for FNIM populations in Canada. This research will, 1) rapidly implement the development of a FNIM COVID-19 database, visualization platform and modelling of predicted FNIM case surges and service needs; and 2) progress rapid application of emerging FNIM COVID-19 evidence to content and scope of FNIM community responses, advance quality and comprehensiveness of databases and engage and support FNIM who are hospitalized with COVID-19.

Faculty Supervisor:

Janet Smylie;Jennifer Walker

Student:

Christine Skura;Miranda Lesperence

Partner:

Canadian Institute of Health Information

Discipline:

Epidemiology / Public health and policy

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

Program: