Respiratory Health Disparities in Indigenous Populations

Indigenous populations around the world experience a disproportionate burden of respiratory disease driven by a complex interplay of social, environmental and historical factors. Rates of chronic and acute respiratory conditions – including asthma, bronchitis, tuberculosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – are consistently higher in many First Nations, Inuit, Māori and other Indigenous groups than in non-Indigenous counterparts. Contributing determinants include overcrowded or poorly ventilated housing, exposure to indoor and outdoor air pollutants, high tobacco use, limited access to culturally appropriate health services and the lasting impacts of colonisation on socioeconomic status and community infrastructure. Geographic remoteness often compounds these risks by restricting access to preventive and acute care, while trust in health systems may be undermined by past injustices. Despite these challenges, community-led interventions have demonstrated meaningful gains: housing repairs that reduce damp and mould, culturally tailored education programmes, installation and maintenance of ventilation systems, and participatory research models that ensure community ownership of data. Addressing respiratory health disparities in Indigenous populations therefore demands integrated strategies that combine biomedical, environmental and social approaches, underpinned by genuine partnership with the communities most affected.

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Respiratory Health Disparities in Indigenous Populations publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in respiratory health disparities in indigenous populations across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Atopy: A genetic predisposition to develop allergic sensitisation and produce elevated immunoglobulin E antibodies in response to common environmental allergens.

PM2.5: Fine particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 micrometres, capable of penetrating deep into the lungs and exacerbating respiratory conditions.

Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV): A mechanical ventilation device that exchanges stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air while transferring heat between the air streams to conserve energy and control humidity.

References

1. Indoor air quality in remote first nations communities in Ontario, Canada. PLOS ONE (2023).
2. Domestic Risk Factors for Atopic and Non-Atopic Asthma in First Nations Children Living in Saskatchewan, Canada. Children (2020).
3. Occupants’ Health and Their Living Conditions of Remote Indigenous Communities in New Zealand. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2020).
4. A community-based participatory research methodology to address, redress, and reassess disparities in respiratory health among First Nations. BMC Research Notes (2015).