One in five Edmontonians deals with isolation: study
Nearly one in five Edmontonians feels socially isolated from their community, with First Nations groups, immigrants and seniors among those more at risk, says a new report.
The annual Vital Signs report — to be released Friday by Edmonton Community Foundation and the Edmonton Social Planning Council — measured feelings of belonging and social isolation.
Eighteen per cent of Edmontonians reported feeling socially isolated in a 2017 Leger poll, said spokeswoman Elizabeth Bonkink.
“I think that’s fairly low,” she said. “But it’s enough for us to be concerned.”
Certain communities are particularly vulnerable to the issue, Bonkink said, adding that LGBTQ, First Nations and immigrant groups are at risk, along with new mothers, seniors and low-income families.
Those who are most at risk of social isolation may intersect with more than one of the groups, she said, highlighting the story of Adebayo Katiiti, who spoke with the Edmonton Journal shortly after applying for refugee status last year.
The transgender athlete had been competing in the city at the International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics Championships and decided not to return to his home country of Uganda, believing he would be arrested for his gender.
“He hasn’t had a completely easy time since he’s been here ... He’s had some problem with racism,” Bonkink said, explaining that Katiiti’s story, which is included in the report, stressed the need for social inclusion.
“We’re really proud of our multicultural heritage; our ethnic and cultural diversity is important to us as Canadians.”
A 2017 Leger poll found that 72 per cent of Edmontonians agree Indigenous people often face discrimination in the city. The report found that 51 per cent of Indigenous people in Alberta say they are “non-thriving” based on data from a First Nations Regional Health Survey.
“When you’re talking about intergenerational trauma ... how we approach our Aboriginal members of Edmonton is a big deal,” Bonkink said. “There’s already inherent racism in our community.
“It’s just acknowledging we have a part to play in ... reconciliation.”
The report suggested ways to combat feelings of isolation to engage in local communities, such as volunteering, pet ownership, connecting with faith-based institutions or joining clubs.
In Edmonton, and Alberta at large, arts and culture remained high on the priority list, Bonkink said.
A 2017 Leger poll found 78 per cent of Edmontonians agreed their city values the arts.
“We have world-class arts here,” Bonkink said. “How can you not feel like you belong in a crowd of 60,000 people at the Pride Parade?”
Data from 2013 found that in Alberta, 29 per cent of people felt like they had a sense of belonging in their local community, compared to 44 per cent feeling as though they belong in the province.
Sixty-eight per cent reported feeling part of the larger Canadian community, the report found.
But Bonkink believes community inclusion in Edmonton has increased since the Fort McMurray wildfires.
“When we’ve had tragedies, we stick together.”