Introduction: Social support within Indigenous worldviews is recognized as a component of health and has been associated with physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Physical Activity (PA) is a modifiable behaviour that can help reduce risks of disease and benefit many dimensions of health. The purpose of this study was to compare the physical activity of Indigenous adults in Saskatchewan with and without family/friend support of PA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWomen vs men have major differences in terms of risk-factor profiles, social and environmental factors, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Women are more likely than men to experience health issues that are complex and multifactorial, often relating to disparities in access to care, risk-factor prevalence, sex-based biological differences, gender-related factors, and sociocultural factors. Furthermore, awareness of the intersectional nature and relationship of sociocultural determinants of health, including sex and gender factors, that influence access to care and health outcomes for women with cardiovascular disease remains elusive.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHistorical factors including colonization and ongoing socioeconomic inequities impact Indigenous Peoples' ability to mitigate chronic disease risks such as achieving recommended physical activity (PA) levels. Reliably assessing, reflecting, and promoting PA participation among Indigenous Peoples may be impacted by a lack of culturally appropriate assessment methods and meaningful engagement with Indigenous communities throughout the research process. The objectives of this scoping review were to examine: (1) How PA research with Indigenous Peoples used community-specific PA measures developed with and/or for Indigenous Peoples in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand; and (2) How the studies utilized community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles to engage communities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Indigenous Peoples: First Nations, Métis and Inuit, have experienced significant disruptions of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health and well-being through centuries of ongoing colonization and assimilation. Consequently, breakdown of cultural connections, increasingly sedentary lifestyles and high levels of screen time contribute to health inequity experiences.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine associations of cultural connectedness with sedentary behaviour and the influence of relocation from home communities for Indigenous Peoples in Saskatchewan.
CJC Open
July 2022
This chapter summarizes the sex- and gender-specific diagnosis and treatment of acute/unstable presentations and nacute/stable presentations of cardiovascular disease in women. Guidelines, scientific statements, systematic reviews/meta-analyses, and primary research studies related to diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease (stroke), valvular heart disease, and heart failure in women were reviewed. The evidence is summarized as a narrative, and when available, sex- and gender-specific practice and research recommendations are provided.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCJC Open
February 2022
Colonization impacts Indigenous Peoples' way of life, culture, language, community structure and social networks. Links between social determinants of health and physical activity (PA) among Indigenous Peoples in Saskatchewan, with 16% Indigenous residents, are unclear. This cross-sectional study, guided by Indigenous Community Advisors, compared moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), traditional Indigenous PA and musculoskeletal PA with social determinants of Indigenous ( = 124), including First Nations ( = 80, including 57 Cree/Nehiyawak) and Métis ( = 41), adults in Saskatchewan.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: This Atlas chapter summarizes the epidemiology of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women in Canada, discusses sex and gender disparities, and examines the intersectionality between sex and other factors that play a prominent role in CVD outcomes in women, including gender, indigenous identity, ethnic variation, disability, and socioeconomic status.
Methods: CVD is the leading cause of premature death in Canadian women. Coronary artery disease, including myocardial infarction, and followed by stroke, accounts for the majority of CVD-related deaths in Canadian women.
Background: North American indigenous populations experience higher rates of obesity and chronic disease compared with nonindigenous populations. Improvements in musculoskeletal fitness can mitigate negative health outcomes, but is not well understood among indigenous populations. This review examines musculoskeletal fitness measures among North American indigenous populations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAppl Physiol Nutr Metab
September 2020
Cultural connectedness has been associated with increased self-esteem and mental health among Indigenous Peoples. Physical activity is an important contributor to health, although the importance of culture as a determinant of physical activity for Indigenous Peoples in Canada is unclear. The purpose of this study is to evaluate differences in cultural connectedness between Indigenous adults in Canada achieving high and low physical activity levels.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Indigenous populations experience greater proportions of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity, though lower rates of hypertension. This investigation evaluated blood pressure relationships with vascular measures, anthropometry, cultural identity, and smoking status among Canadian Indigenous and European adults.
Methods: In 2013, in Vancouver, Canada, blood pressure, anthropometry, cultural identity, smoking status, pulse wave velocity (PWV), arterial compliance, baroreceptor sensitivity, and intima-media thickness (IMT) were directly measured among 58 Indigenous (39 ± 18 years, 31 female) and 58 age- and sex-matched European Canadian (42 ± 18 years) adults.
Limited understanding of Indigenous adults' cardiovascular structure and function exists despite high rates of cardiovascular disease. This investigation characterised cardiovascular structure and function among young Indigenous adults and compared to age- and sex-matched European descendants. Echocardiographic assessments included apical two- and four-chamber images, parasternal short-axis images and Doppler.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIndigenous populations experience health disparities including increased obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease rates. Cardiorespiratory fitness is beneficial for maintaining positive health outcomes. The objective of this systematic review is to evaluate cardiorespiratory fitness among Indigenous populations including comparisons across genders, Indigenous identities, age groups, decades, socio-demographic variables and in comparison to non-Indigenous groups.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCardiovascular disease disproportionately affects North American Indigenous populations. Ethnic differences in cardiac responses to exercise are known, though Indigenous populations response is unknown. To evaluate cardiac responses to aerobic exercise among Canadian Indigenous and European adults.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnlabelled: Indigenous populations currently experience greater rates of cardiovascular disease. Although ethnic differences in cardiovascular responses to exercise have previously been identified, these responses among indigenous populations are unknown.
Purpose: This investigation aimed to evaluate the vascular responses to aerobic exercise of Canadian indigenous and European adults.
Introduction: The health benefits of exercise are well established. However, the relationship between exercise volume and intensity and health benefits remains unclear, particularly the benefits of low-volume and intensity exercise.
Purpose: The primary purpose of this investigation was, therefore, to examine the dose-response relationship between exercise volume and intensity with derived health benefits including volumes and intensity of activity well below international recommendations.
Hypertension is becoming increasingly prevalent among western societies. However, different ethnic groups appear to be affected unequally. This systematic review sought to evaluate blood pressure and hypertension among North American Indigenous populations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAltered autonomic function has been identified following ultra-endurance event participation among elite world-class athletes. Despite dramatic increases in recreational athlete participation in these ultra-endurance events, the physiological effects on these athletes are less known. This investigation sought to characterise changes in surrogate measures of autonomic function: heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure variability (BPV) and baroreceptor sensitivity (BRS) following ultra-endurance race participation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCardiometabolic risk is a growing concern in Western society in which rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity are on the rise. Aboriginal populations currently experience unequal burdens of these chronic conditions. However, limited information regarding the experience of cardiometabolic risk among Métis populations is available.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: This systematic review sought to evaluate critically the health benefits of physical activity among persons with atrial fibrillation (AF). AF is increasing in Western society. While health benefits of physical activity are well established, benefits of physical activity among individuals with AF are not clearly identified.
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