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The first and most obvious reason for taking on aboriginal health research is the pressing need. In the September 2002 journal article entitled "Improving the Health of Future Generations: The Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health" it was reported that:
| "Indigenous Peoples around the globe endure profound disparities in health. In developed countries, the health profile of indigenous peoples is most commonly associated with noncommunicable diseases and lifestyle-related health issues such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, tobacco use, substance use and violence." |
Medical and social research has begun to attempt to make a difference to the health and wellness of aboriginal people. The Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health (CIHR-IAPH), one of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research was developed to foster innovative aboriginal health research. But funding is only part of the equation. The other significant component is partnering with researchers willing to devote themselves to the challenge of improving the health of aboriginal people in Canada. One prominent researcher estimates the number of researchers currently working on aboriginal health issues at less than a hundred out of approximately 5,000 health researchers.
Because of the high priority that the federal government has placed on aboriginal health research, it is making an increasing amount of funding and support available to researchers willing to engage in this field. Much of the funding flows through the Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health, which in turn has set up Aboriginal Capacity and Developmental Research Environments (ACADRE) centres across Canada. These university-based centres operate in partnership with aboriginal groups to further the study of aboriginal health and wellness.
Despite the statistics on the health challenges facing aboriginal people, we are not just looking for disease specialists. CIHR-IAPH also wishes to explore and highlight the factors that are currently working to keep some aboriginal communities healthier than others. We want to understand wellness, as well as illness, in keeping with the holistic approach of aboriginal people.
In addition to enhancing researchers' ability to obtain research support, the field of aboriginal health research offers other rewards, including professional and community recognition for their work.
