The majority of the data used came from administrative data from the Population Health Research Data Repository (PHRDR) housed at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy. Five fiscal years of administrative data were used - April 1, 1994 through March 31, 1999. Supplementary data came from Vital Statistics (death rates), Canadian Census (determinants of health: education, household income, and employment), and INAC Reports (housing within Tribal Council areas)

We also received one-time permission to link the above data to the Status Verification System (SVS) Files. Approximately 92,000 RFN people in this study period were identified as Manitoba-affiliated RFN. Postal code/Band affiliation matches were used to identify persons as "on-reserve" (i.e. in or near their First Nations community of Band affiliation) or "off-reserve".

Limitations of the SVS data:

Some undercounting (87, 328 RFN in 1999)

Only counts RFN with Manitoba Band affiliation, living in Manitoba

Identifies "on"/ "off" reserve in limited manner (i.e living in or near the First Nations community of their Band affiliation)