Sámi youth health, the role of climate change, and unique health-seeking behaviour

Abstract

The goal of this cross-sectional qualitative study was to assess the impact of climate change on Sámi youth health, health care access, and health-seeking behaviour. Indigenous research methodology served as the basis of the investigation which utilised focus groups of youths and one-on-one interviews of adult community leaders using a semi-structured, open-ended questions. The results of the focus groups and interviews were then analysed to identify trends. We found that Sámi youth mostly associate the implications of climate change to their culture andcultural practices rather than the historical influence the environment had on Sámi health. They also take part in unique health-seeking behaviour by utilising both traditional and Western medicine simultaneously but without interaction due to social and structural factors. Our findings suggest that the health of Sámi teens is not tied to the environment directly, but through cultural activities.

Towards improved participatory scenario methodologies in the Arctic

“…These factors shape young people's individual futures, affect the viability of Arctic cultures, languages, traditional activities, and communities, and influence the capacity to navigate climate change and other external pressures that shape environments and societies (e.g. Kowalczewski & Klein, 2018;MacDonald, Cunsolo Willox, et al, 2015;Ulturgasheva, Rasmus, Wexler, Nystad, & Kral, 2014). We furthermore argue that working with youth in participatory scenario exercises and workshops engages them in shaping the future of their societies.…”

“…Other more established ways to engage with young people in research could also be used more extensively in developing future scenarios. These include focus group discussions (Davison & Hawe, 2012;Karlsdottir & Jungsberg, 2015;Ulturgasheva et al, 2015), collaborating with schools (Cost, 2017), youthled participatory video (MacDonald, , more qualitative and locally grounded approaches (Kowalczewski & Klein, 2018), and intergenerational processes (Allen et al, 2014).…”

Review: The impact of climate change awareness on children's mental well‐being and negative emotions – a scoping review

“…Of the 33 articles, 13 academic articles empirically addressed the impact of climate change awareness on children's mental well-being and negative emotions, seven used quantitative approaches (Harker-Schuch, Lade, Mills, & Colvin, 2021;Kuang & Root, 2019;Ojala, 2012bOjala, , 2013Ojala & Bengtsson, 2019;Stevenson & Peterson, 2016;Strohmeier et al, 2017), three used mixed methods (Baker, Clayton, & Bragg, 2020;Bangsund, 2018;Ojala, 2012a), and three used qualitative approaches (Kowalczewski & Klein, 2018;MacKay, Parlee, & Karsgaard, 2020;Strife, 2012). Many of these studies were from Europe (n = 6, with four from Sweden), four were from North America (two from the United States and two from Canada), one was from Australia, one was from both Australia and Austria, and one (a conference abstract) did not specify a region of study.…”

“…Many of these studies were from Europe (n = 6, with four from Sweden), four were from North America (two from the United States and two from Canada), one was from Australia, one was from both Australia and Austria, and one (a conference abstract) did not specify a region of study. Most studies did not focus on a particular subgroup of the population, with the exceptions of Kowalczewski and Klein (2018), who researched S ami high school students; MacKay et al ( 2020), who researched Indigenous youth living in the Mackenzie River Basin; and Kuang and Root (2019), who focused on patients in an outpatient child and adolescent psychiatry practice. Empirical work largely examined adolescents rather than younger children (Table 2).…”

“…• anxiety (Baker et al, 2020;Bangsund, 2018;Burke et al, 2018;Chalupka et al, 2020;Clayton, 2020;Clemens et al, 2020;Cunsolo et al, 2020;Fritze et al, 2008;Gifford & Gifford, 2016;Kowalczewski & Klein, 2018;Kuang & Root, 2019;MacKay et al, 2020;Palinkas & Wong, 2020;Pinsky et al, 2020;Sanson et al, 2018Sanson et al, , 2019Stanley & Farrant, 2015;The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, 2021;Wu et al, 2020) and…”