aBstraCt. the purpose of this study was to explore community perspectives on the most important ways that climate change is affecting the health of northern peoples. the study was conducted in Iqaluit, Nunavut, using a participatory action approach and the photovoice research method. Participants identified themes and patterns in the data and developed a visual model of the relationships between the themes identified. Five themes emerged from the data: the direct impacts of climate change on the health of individuals and communities, the transition from past climates to future climates, necessary adaptation to the changing climate in the North, the call to action (individual, regional, and national), and reflection on the past and changing knowledge systems. a climate change and health model was developed to illustrate the relationships between the themes. Participants in this study conceptualized health and climate change broadly. Participants believed that by engaging in a process of ongoing reflection, and by continually incorporating new knowledge and experiences into traditional knowledge systems, communities may be better able to adapt and cope with the challenges to health posed by climate change.Key words: Inuit, northern communities, Nunavut, climate change, health, action, participatory research rÉsuMÉ. l'objectif de cette étude consistait à explorer diverses perspectives communautaires quant aux manières les plus importantes dont le changement climatique a des incidences sur la santé des gens du Nord. l'étude a été réalisée à Iqaluit, au Nunavut, au moyen d'une méthode d'action et de recherche participative faisant appel à la « photovoice ». les participants ont déterminé les thèmes de même que les tendances caractérisant les données, puis ont abouti à un modèle visuel pour établir des relations entre les thèmes ainsi déterminés. les données ont donné lieu à la formulation de cinq thèmes, soit les incidences directes du changement climatique sur la santé des gens et des collectivités; la transition des anciens climats aux nouveaux climats; l'adaptation nécessaire au climat changeant dans le Nord; un appel à l'action (individuel, régional et national); et une réflexion sur les systèmes de savoir du passé qui sont en pleine évolution. Ensuite, un modèle de changement climatique et de santé a été élaboré dans le but d'illustrer les liens existant entre les divers thèmes. les participants à cette étude ont conceptualisé le changement climatique et ses incidences sur la santé à grande échelle. Ils croyaient qu'en s'adonnant à un processus de réflexion continue et qu'en intégrant constamment de nouvelles connaissances et expériences aux systèmes de savoir traditionnel, les collectivités pourraient être mieux placées pour s'adapter et relever les défis posés par le changement climatique en matière de santé.Mots clés : Inuit, collectivités du Nord, Nunavut, changement climatique, santé, action, recherche participative traduit pour la revue Arctic par Nicole Giguère.
BackgroundSuicide is a serious public health challenge in circumpolar regions, especially among Indigenous youth. Indigenous communities, government agencies and health care providers are making concerted efforts to reduce the burden of suicide and strengthen protective factors for individuals, families and communities. The persistence of suicide has made it clear that more needs to be done.ObjectiveOur aim was to undertake a scoping review of the peer-reviewed literature on suicide prevention and interventions in Indigenous communities across the circumpolar north. Our objective was to determine the extent and types of interventions that have been reported during past decade. We want to use this knowledge to support community initiative and inform intervention development and evaluation.DesignWe conducted a scoping review of online databases to identify studies published between 2004 and 2014. We included articles that described interventions in differentiated circumpolar Indigenous populations and provided evaluation data. We retained grey literature publications for comparative reference.ResultsOur search identified 95 articles that focused on suicide in distinct circumpolar Indigenous populations; 19 articles discussed specific suicide-related interventions and 7 of these described program evaluation methods and results in detail. The majority of publications on specific interventions were found in North American countries. The majority of prevention or intervention documentation was found in supporting grey literature sources.ConclusionDespite widespread concern about suicide in the circumpolar world and active community efforts to promote resilience and mental well-being, we found few recorded programs or initiatives documented in the peer-reviewed literature, and even fewer focusing specifically on youth intervention. The interventions described in the studies we found had diverse program designs and content, and used varied evaluation methods and outcomes. The studies we included consistently reported that it was important to use community-based and culturally guided interventions and evaluations. This article summarizes the current climate of Indigenous circumpolar suicide research in the context of intervention and highlights how intervention-based outcomes have largely remained outside of peer-reviewed sources in this region of the world.
Objectives. Inuit women face challenging health and wellness issues in Northern communities. Literature examining these contexts and the processes through which health is affected is virtually non-existent. The ojective of this review is to examine and consolidate the available literature on Inuit women's health issues from the last decade in order to identify priorities for future research. Study design. This study is a review of literature from the last decade. Inuit women's health issues that have been raised in the literature and in various reports are examined within a health-determinants framework. Methods. Government reports and statistics, publications by Inuit organizations and publications available on MEDLINE were examined for this review. Results. Inuit women's health is a crucial part of the health of their communities. Inuit women face serious health issues related to reproductive and sexual health, such as high rates of sexually transmitted infections and challenging circumstances surrounding childbirth. Wellness, suicide and stress are more significant issues for Inuit women compared with non-Inuit women. Food security and accessibility is an issue for all Northerners. Alcohol and substance abuse and exposure to violent situations endanger both the health and safety of Inuit women in many Northern communities. Conclusions. There exists an urgent need to better understand the mechanisms through which determinants of health affect Inuit women. As well as adding to the body of knowledge on health determinants in Canada, further examining these issues will provide valuable information for health policy decision-makers and program development in the North and facilitate the direction of resources to the necessary areas of health services provision in Nunavut.
BackgroundFor Inuit, the family unit has always played a central role in life and in survival. Social changes in Inuit communities have resulted in significant transformations to economic, political and cultural aspects of Inuit society. Where the family unit was once the setting for dialogue on family relations and sexuality, this has largely been replaced by teachings from the medical community and/or the school system.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to explore Inuit parent perspectives on sharing knowledge with teenage children about sexual health and relationships.MethodA qualitative Indigenous knowledge approach was used for this study with a focus on Inuit ways of knowing as described in the Piliriqattigiinniq Community Health Research Partnership Model. Interviews were conducted with 20 individual parents in 3 Nunavut communities in 2011. Parents were asked about whether and how they talk to their children about sexual health and relationships. An analytical approach building on the concept of Iqqaumaqatigiiniq (“all knowing coming into one”), which is similar to “immersion and crystallization,” was used to identify story elements, groupings or themes in the data. The stories shared by parents are honoured, keeping their words intact as often as possible in the presentation of results.ResultsParents shared stories of themselves, family members and observations of the community. Fifteen of 17 mothers in the study reported having experienced sexual abuse as children or adolescents. Parents identified the challenges that they have and continue to experience as a result of forced settlement, family displacement and the transition of Inuit society. They expressed a desire to teach their children about sexual health and relationships and identified the need for emotional support to do this in the wake of the trauma they have experienced. Parents highly valued elders and the knowledge they have about family relationships and childrearing.ConclusionThere are powerful, unresolved healing issues in Inuit communities. The traumatic experiences of the settlement and residential school era continue to have an impact on present-day family relationships. To support parent–child dialogue on sexual health and relationships, parents identified a need to repair relationships between youth and elders, and to provide culturally sensitive support to parents to heal from trauma.
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