Poverty a barrier to child health, Northern Health finds

Poverty is a significant barrier to growing up healthy, according to feedback Northern Health gathered on the state of health for children and youth across the region.

In releasing the results

Monday, Northern Health

chief medical health officer

Dr. Sandra Allison emphasized the finding.

"That was a message we heard right across the north," she said during a briefing with local media. "Poverty is an important challenge."

Citing First Call: B.C., a poverty-reduction advocacy group, Allison said one in five children in the province live below the low-income measure and it's worse in at least one northern B.C. community.

"If you look at some of our centres, like Prince Rupert for example, up to 38 or 40 per cent of children are living in poverty there," Allison said.

According to an accompanying Northern Health report, the fallout from living in poverty can include inadequate housing, insufficient and low-quality food, being left out of sport and cultural activities, lower involvement in education and living with the stigma of being seen as different from other children.

It's not an issue Northern Health can tackle on its own. Allison said the agency will need to work with its partners "to help them understand that without flourishing economies, diverse economies, education, all those other pieces, we're going to be struggling."

But there are things the Northern Health can do, she added.

"Within Northern Health, we can understand how people are accessing our programs, or not, and trying to ensure people have equity in access," Allison said.

"So whether that's through transportational considerations or times of day or accessing providers in non-traditional ways, we need to make those adjustments."

Northern Health has its own bus service that delivers people to medical appointments outside their home communities. B.C. Transit is also in the process of initiating a system along Highway 16 West, and Northern Health has been involved in the planning.

"I think it will be an enhancement," Northern Health CEO Cathy Ulrich said.

A lack of support to children and youth for dealing with mental health and substance abuse was also identified as an area for improvement, as was improving health services in general.

Greater support for women who must travel to give birth, providing early childhood screening at 18 months and better dental care were raised as suggestions on that note.

The findings came out of a consultation process held over May and June 2016.

It drew 275 people to meetings held in 18 communities across the region.

An online option drew responses from 599 people.