NCCIH & NCCID

COVID-19 and Indigenous Peoples’ access to STBBI services: Summarizing survey, interview, and focus group findings

March 2024

Sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs) are a public health concern in Canada. This summary explores key and common findings found across two studies completed by the National Collaborating Centres for Indigenous Health and Infectious Diseases, which investigated how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the accessibility, availability, and delivery of STBBI services among First Nations peoples, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada. The first study explored the experiences of First Nations peoples, Inuit, and Métis people with STBBIs services through the “Impact of COVID-19 Survey,” coordinated by the Public Health Agency of Canada. The second study provided context and voice to the survey results through interviews with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis STBBI service users and focus groups with STBBI service providers and policy- and decision-makers. Further information about each study can be found in their full reports, "COVID-19 and Indigenous peoples’ access to STBBI and related health services: National survey results" and "COVID-19 and Indigenous peoples’ access to STBBI and related health services: A qualitative study.”

View or download the report summary (PDF)