In a recent article by the National Observer, the community was described to be ~900 people. The number of new cases is 32 per year (48/1.5 years). The standardized incidence rate is 3555.6 new cases per 100,000. If we use the smallest estimate for the size of the community, as cited in your report, it is 6400 new cases per 100K of population
Currently, Alberta’s standardized incidence rate (number of new cases of cancer) is 555.3 per 100,000. Based on the Chief’s observations, that’s anywhere from a 6.4 - 11.5 fold difference compared to the general population of Alberta.
Ontario has been working collaboratively with the First Nations, Inuit and Métis, to produce research and prepare periodic population health reports specific to these communities. Ontario’s First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities are facing increasing rates of cancer and have been found to have poorer survival. These findings are brought back to the communities and related educational materials are produced to be used by health professionals and advocates to better support and inform people about their collective health; as well as provide proven strategies to prevent cancer and increase rates for screening and early detection.
It would be important for this Cree community to find outside experts if the Alberta administration is not providing them. They require both population health epidemiologists and cancer researchers to:
ensure data sovereignty
get an accurate census of the community (denominator),
review the documented new cases and look over time to see what types of cancer are prevalent, if that has changed,
and if there are clusters of specific cancers that can be attributed to the environmental exposure.
I certainly hope that Mikisew Cree community can find some research partners who can collaborate with the them and this issue gets the attention it deserves.
This is appalling and inexcusable.
This is exactly how the government of an independent Alberta will continue to act.
An observation.
In a recent article by the National Observer, the community was described to be ~900 people. The number of new cases is 32 per year (48/1.5 years). The standardized incidence rate is 3555.6 new cases per 100,000. If we use the smallest estimate for the size of the community, as cited in your report, it is 6400 new cases per 100K of population
Currently, Alberta’s standardized incidence rate (number of new cases of cancer) is 555.3 per 100,000. Based on the Chief’s observations, that’s anywhere from a 6.4 - 11.5 fold difference compared to the general population of Alberta.
Ontario has been working collaboratively with the First Nations, Inuit and Métis, to produce research and prepare periodic population health reports specific to these communities. Ontario’s First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities are facing increasing rates of cancer and have been found to have poorer survival. These findings are brought back to the communities and related educational materials are produced to be used by health professionals and advocates to better support and inform people about their collective health; as well as provide proven strategies to prevent cancer and increase rates for screening and early detection.
It would be important for this Cree community to find outside experts if the Alberta administration is not providing them. They require both population health epidemiologists and cancer researchers to:
ensure data sovereignty
get an accurate census of the community (denominator),
review the documented new cases and look over time to see what types of cancer are prevalent, if that has changed,
and if there are clusters of specific cancers that can be attributed to the environmental exposure.
I certainly hope that Mikisew Cree community can find some research partners who can collaborate with the them and this issue gets the attention it deserves.
https://mikisewcree.ca/first-nation-accuses-alberta-of-withholding-cancer-data
https://www.omnicalculator.com/health/incidence-rate
https://cancerstats.ca/Incidence/Region
https://www.cancercareontario.ca/en/first-nations-inuit-metis/understanding-cancer-statistics
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7075447/