Cree Health Survey 2003, Canadian Community Health Survey, Cycle 2.1, Iiyiyiu Aschii: Use and perceptions of health services

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The survey was conducted during the summer of 2003 using a representative sample of residents aged 12 and older from the nine communities in Iiyiyiu Aschii: Chisasibi, Eastmain, Mistissini, Nemaska, Oujé- Bougoumou, Waskaganish, Waswanipi, Wemindji, and Whapmagoostui.

87% of residents received some type of health care in the year prior to the survey. Use of health care was affected by factors such as age, sex, and education. It was also associated with need: people in poor health and those with chronic conditions were more likely to consult all types of health professionals (particularly specialists).
Residents of inland communities were more likely than coastal residents to consult most types of health professionals, including dentists, and were also more likely to be hospitalized.
14% of respondents reported an unmet need for health care in the year prior to the survey. Women, younger adults, and people living in the inland communities were more likely to report unmet needs.
People had more positive views of the availability and quality of care in the province as a whole than in their home communities. While close to two thirds of residents rated the availability and quality of services in the province as good, only half said this about their local health services.
Perceptions of availability varied with the type of service required. People who had sought counselling (social worker, counsellor, or psychologist) were more likely than others to be dissatisfied with the availability of services in the region.
24% of residents declared that they had a regular medical doctor. In a pattern that is also observed province-wide, the proportion of people with a regular doctor increased with age and with the need for health care.
Having a regular doctor was associated with more positive perceptions of the availability and quality of health services, and with a tendency to make better use of all types of health services.