Despite fewer reports of worsening overall health in later pandemic phases, Métis people in Alberta showed persistently high rates of depressive symptoms (41%), anxiety (47%), high perceived stress (68%), and widespread food insecurity across all three survey waves.
Confirmed COVID-19 cases among Métis participants increased substantially from the first to the third survey wave.
Mental health burden among Métis participants remained persistently high across all three survey waves despite some improvements in self-reported overall health.
Food insecurity was widespread among Métis participants and increased from Wave 1 to Wave 3.
Financial strain and experiences of racism were consistently reported across all survey waves.
Reduced family time and cultural activities were commonly reported, particularly in earlier survey waves.
Strong Métis identity was consistently reported at high levels throughout the pandemic period.
The Misi Yehewin study used a community-partnered, cross-sectional survey series design with three independent samples of Métis participants over approximately one year.
This research followed Métis people in Alberta, Canada through three points during the COVID-19 pandemic (late 2020 through late 2021), surveying a total of 2,439 individuals about their health, mental wellbeing, finances, and cultural life. The study found that while people were somewhat less likely to report their overall health getting worse as the pandemic progressed, measures of specific mental health symptoms told a different story — across all three survey periods, roughly 4 in 10 participants showed signs of depression, nearly half showed signs of anxiety, and more than two-thirds reported high levels of stress. Food insecurity actually worsened over time, rising from about 40% in the first wave to over 50% by the third wave. The study also found that financial hardship (affecting about 56% of participants) and experiences of racism (about 25%) remained stable and persistent throughout the entire study period, suggesting these are longstanding structural problems rather than short-term disruptions caused by the pandemic. Notably, approximately 89% of participants reported a strong Métis identity across all waves, which the researchers highlight as a potential foundation for community-based responses. Reduced ability to spend time with family and participate in cultural activities was especially common in the earlier waves. This research matters because it fills a significant gap: Métis-specific health data are rarely collected, yet this community experienced substantial and ongoing hardship during the pandemic. The findings suggest that pandemic responses and health supports for Métis people need to address deep-rooted inequities around food access, financial stability, and experiences of racism — not just the acute effects of COVID-19 itself. The authors call for Métis-led, culturally grounded strategies to address both the immediate and longer-term factors shaping Métis health.
Ospina M, Bartel R, Serrano-Lomelin J, Amjad S, Anderson A, Colman I. (2026). Misi Yehewin (big breath): a cross-sectional survey series of Métis health and wellbeing during the early COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta, Canada.. Frontiers in public health. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1741161