Acute respiratory infections in the Canadian Native Indian population: a review.

Acute respiratory infections (ARI) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality among Natives in Canada. Studies examining the mortality experience of Canadian Natives have reported SMRs for ARI ranging from 2.92 to 21.23. Morbidity from ARI is also increased relative to other Canadians with rate ratios for pneumonia ranging from 3.28 to 17.6. Several risk factors have been associated with an increase in ARI including smoking, exposure to passive smoke, feeding practices, and socioeconomic factors such as housing, residential crowding and family size. The effects of other risk factors are less clear. There continues to be a need for epidemiological studies of ARI in Canadian Natives while at the same time, ARI control programs should be implemented to reduce the incidence and severity of acute respiratory infections in this population.