Some of the most disadvantaged people in the world live in geographically or socially isolated small groups with little access to services or opportunities of any kind. Such is the case of indigenous rural populations relegated by society to the most remote and least accessible locations in their countries. In urban centres as well, ethnic minorities often find themselves scattered, marginalized and effectively isolated. Gathering actionable evidence that these people can use to assert their human rights presents special challenges.
CIET has been working to develop epidemiological methods particularly suited to this challenge.
CIET’s work with Aboriginal Canadians, both in cities and on reserve, began in 1995 and continues to the present. See Indigenous Canada.
A discussion and an example of methods for research among isolated and marginalized groups can be found in a doctoral thesis by Professor Lorenzo Monasta of the Centro de Investigación de Enfermedades Tropicales (CIET) at the Autonomous University of Guerrero, Mexico: Macedonian and Kosovan ROMÁ living in “Nomad Camps” in Italy: Health and living conditions of children from birth to five years of age.
The full thesis, an English summary, and an Italian summary, are available from the library. The main findings of the thesis are published in: Monasta L, Andersson N, Ledogar RJ, Cockcroft A. Minority Health and Small Numbers Epidemiology: A Case Study of Living Conditions and the Health of Children in 5 Romá Camps in Italy. American Journal of Public Health 2008; 98(11):2035-2041. Available to institutional and personal subscribers at http://www.ajph.org/cgi/content/abstract/98/11/2035.
