Climate-sensitive health priorities in Nunatsiavut, Canada

BMC Public Health

Research Article

Michele Wood¹  Ashlee Cunsolo Willox²  Scott A. McEwen³  Sherilee L. Harper⁴  Victoria L. Edge⁴  James Ford⁵ 

[1] Department of Health and Social Development, Nunatsiavut Government, Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada;Department of Nursing, Cross-Appointed with Indigenous Studies, Cape Breton University, Sydney, NS, Canada;Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada;Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada;Indigenous Health Adaptation to Climate Change Research Team: Lea Berrang-Ford, Cesar Carcamo, Alejandro Llanos, Shuaib Lwasa, Didacus Bambaiha Namanya, Montreal, Canada;Indigenous Health Adaptation to Climate Change Research Team: Lea Berrang-Ford, Cesar Carcamo, Alejandro Llanos, Shuaib Lwasa, Didacus Bambaiha Namanya, Montreal, Canada;Department of Geography, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada;

关键词: Canada;    Climate change;    Health;    Inuit;    Nunatsiavut;    EcoHealth;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12889-015-1874-3

 received in 2014-06-10, accepted in 2015-05-26,  发布年份 2015

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThis exploratory study used participatory methods to identify, characterize, and rank climate-sensitive health priorities in Nunatsiavut, Labrador, Canada.MethodsA mixed method study design was used and involved collecting both qualitative and quantitative data at regional, community, and individual levels. In-depth interviews with regional health representatives were conducted throughout Nunatsiavut (n = 11). In addition, three PhotoVoice workshops were held with Rigolet community members (n = 11), where participants took photos of areas, items, or concepts that expressed how climate change is impacting their health. The workshop groups shared their photographs, discussed the stories and messages behind them, and then grouped photos into re-occurring themes. Two community surveys were administered in Rigolet to capture data on observed climatic and environmental changes in the area, and perceived impacts on health, wellbeing, and lifestyles (n = 187).ResultsClimate-sensitive health pathways were described in terms of inter-relationships between environmental and social determinants of Inuit health. The climate-sensitive health priorities for the region included food security, water security, mental health and wellbeing, new hazards and safety concerns, and health services and delivery.ConclusionsThe results highlight several climate-sensitive health priorities that are specific to the Nunatsiavut region, and suggest approaching health research and adaptation planning from an EcoHealth perspective.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Harper et al. 2015