xposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) in homes is an important contributor to inequalities in maternal and child health in Aboriginal communities. Although Aboriginal communities have begun to introduce smoke-free public places, significant gaps remain in protection from SHS in reserve communities. 1,2 With over half of the Aboriginal population reporting that they smoke, protection from SHS in homes is particularly a high priority in Aboriginal communities. 3 Although there has been increasing interest in SHS exposure in homes, 4-9 only one study was found that addressed attitudes toward SHS in Indigenous communities. In this Australian study, smoking cessation was associated with increased motivation to establish smoke-free homes to protect child health. 10 No studies have examined this issue from the point of view of women engaged in childrearing in First Nations communities in Canada. The objective of this study was to explore factors influencing smoking in home environments and First Nations women's efforts to minimize exposure for their children and themselves. Recognizing the difficulties of reducing smoking among disadvantaged smokers, 11,12 finding ways to support smoking bans in homes is important for protecting the health of children and others by reducing exposure to SHS. METHODSThis research was carried out as part of a larger community-based ethnographic research project that was initiated by community members and involved a collaboration with university-based researchers to identify ways to reduce exposure to SHS. Study contextThe study took place in the northwest region of BC with the Gitxsan First Nations and involved participants from six small reserve communities who identified as Gitxsan and Wet'suwet'en. While there is a 20-year history of individual leaders creating smoke-free spaces in these communities, 13 the issue of smoking in domestic space, as is the case in most communities, is unregulated.

PurposeTo provide a picture of the access and use of health services by Aboriginal British Columbians living in both reserve and off‐reserve communities.Design/methodology/approachThis project represents a collaborative effort between the University of British Columbia and multiple Aboriginal community partners. Between June and November 2003, 267 face‐to‐face interviews were conducted with Aboriginal persons in seven rural community organizations across the province.FindingsThis paper reports on the results of a survey of 267 Aboriginal clients. It was found that a substantial number of survey respondents accessed health services provided by an Aboriginal person. Although most respondents felt that services were available, they also identified a number of concerns. These revolved around the need to travel for services, as well as a lack of access to more specialized services. A number of self‐reported barriers to service were also identified. These findings have several policy implications and will be useful to service planners.Research limitations/implicationsSeveral questions for additional research were identified including the need to establish an inventory of service problem areas and investigating service and benefit policy and community awareness issues.Originality/valueThis paper provides policy makers with knowledge on the rural Aboriginal population, a population that has faced long standing problems in accessing appropriate health services.

This paper discusses the implosion of a large inner-city hospital in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on October 4, 1998. Stationary and mobile air monitoring conducted after the implosion indicated there were several short-term air quality issues, including significant temporal increases in total suspended particles, particulate matter (PM) with aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to 10 microm (PM10), PM with aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to 2.5 microm (PM2.5), asbestos, and airborne and settled lead. In addition, the implosion created a dust cloud that traveled much further than expected, out to 20 km. The ability of an implosion to effectively aerosolize building materials requires the removal of all friable and nonfriable forms of asbestos and all Pb-containing painted surfaces during pre-implosion preparatory work. Public advisories to mitigate personal exposure and indoor migration of the implosion dust cloud constituents should extend to 10 or 20 km around an implosion site. These findings point to a number of complex and problematic issues regarding implosions and safeguarding human health and suggest that implosions in metropolitan areas should be prohibited. Further work to characterize the public health risks of conventional versus implosion demolition is recommended.

This literature review attempts to: estimate Aboriginal population prevalence rates for problem and pathological gambling and compare these rates to the general population; determine factors associated with the Aboriginal population problem gambling behaviour; and identify other salient findings and issues. Materials used in the review were drawn from available research literature and bibliographies. There were no time restrictions or study design criteria included in the review. Key words used: Aboriginal, Indians, First Nations, Native, lotteries, gambling, casinos, and gaming. Eleven descriptive studies were identified. Gambling appears to be problematic among Aboriginal people. Aboriginal adolescents have higher rates of problem gambling, as do Aboriginal adults for both problem and pathological gambling than their non-Aboriginal counterparts. The odds ratios indicate that the Aboriginal population has a problem gambling behaviour rate 2.2 to 15.69 times higher than the non-Aboriginal population. A number of factors associated with Aboriginal population problem and pathological gambling were identified. Gambling literature specific to the Aboriginal population is limited and there is extensive variation in estimates of their increased risk. Several associated factors were identified but whether these are specific to the Aboriginal population or to all problem and pathological gamblers needs to be determined. More research, particularly qualitative, into these factors is warranted.