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28 January 2019

Lecture: Demographics and Health Status of Arctic Populations

Author/Compiled by
Tatiana Unguryanu, Northern State Medical University, Russia
Executive Summary

This lecture covers the questions about characteristics of arctic populations and includes key indicators of their health status. The comparative analysis of population density, net migration, natural increase, birth rate, life expectancy, death rate, infant mortality and morbidity between the Arctic regions is shown.

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Background
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The Arctic is not a homogeneous region and Arctic residents are extremely diverse. The health status of Arctic residents is the result of the complex interaction between environment, genetics, nutrition, psychological factors, and economic conditions. Arctic populations have certain demographic and health characteristics. There are substantial disparities among countries and regions in the circumpolar north, and within regions among population subgroups, particularly between indigenous and non-indigenous people. In general, in the Arctic regions, birth and mortality rates are higher, and life expectancy is lower; a high proportion of the population is of younger age.

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Learning Objectives
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At the end of this lecture students will be able to:

  • Describe population change in the Arctic regions due to net migration and natural increase
  • Present the comparative analysis of four key indicators of health outcomes between the Arctic regions: birth rate, life expectancy, death rate and infant mortality
  • Compare incidence rate of tuberculosis and prevalence of diabetes mellitus among the Arctic populations
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Lecture
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Library References

AMAP Assessment 2009: Human Health in the Arctic

This assessment report details the results of the 2009 AMAP assessment of Human Health in the Arctic. It builds upon the previous AMAP human health assessments that were presented in 19981 and 2022.

The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) is a group working under the Arctic Council.

(2009): AMAP Assessment 2009: Human Health in the Arctic. Oslo, Norway: Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) URL [Accessed: 30.07.2018]

Circumpolar Health Indicators: Sources, Data and Maps

This compendium of statistical data is intended to provide a single convenient source of health statistics to be consulted and used by researchers and policy makers in all the circumpolar countries and regions.

YOUNG, T. K. (2008): Circumpolar Health Indicators: Sources, Data and Maps. Circumpolar Health Supplements 2008. International Association of Circumpolar Health Publishers URL [Accessed: 30.07.2018]

A seven-Year epidemiological Review of Tuberculosis in the Circumpolar Region 2006 – 2012

This report analyses demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics of Tuberculosis (TB) in northern populations to assess disease trends and incidence across circumpolar regions. The report aims to establish baseline data on TB cases which will be updated through ongoing annual surveillance to inform TB prevention and control in circumpolar regions.

BOURGEOIS, A. (2016): A seven-Year epidemiological Review of Tuberculosis in the Circumpolar Region 2006 – 2012. International Circumpolar Surveillance – Tuberculosis Working Group URL [Accessed: 30.07.2018]
Further Readings

Comparative Review of Circumpolar Health Systems

Health care for remote, sparsely populated communities in the circumpolar North faces substantial organizational, financial, logistical, technical, and human resource challenges. Circumpolar regions share many common features but have evolved vastly different health care systems and policies. Identifying, evaluating and comparing approaches to policy development, best practices and successful models across the various regions represent a potentially useful strategy to improve and strengthen northern health systems.

YOUNG, K. and MARCHILDON, G. (2012): Comparative Review of Circumpolar Health Systems. International Association of Circumpolar Health Publishers URL [Accessed: 07.06.2018]

Arctic Human Development Report (AHDR)

Arctic Human Development Report

The goals of this report are to provide an update to the first AHDR (2004) in terms of an assessment of the state of Arctic human development; to highlight the major trends and changes unfolding related to the various issues and thematic areas of human development in the Arctic over the past decade; and, based on this as- sessment, to identify policy relevant conclusions and key gaps in knowledge, new and emerging Arctic success stories, and important AHDR-II follow-up activities.

BANKES, N. et al. Larsen, J. N. and Fondahl, G. (2014): Arctic Human Development Report (AHDR). TemaNord URL [Accessed: 07.06.2018]

AMAP Assessment 2015: Human Health in the Arctic

The 2015 Human Health Assessment Report follows three previous AMAP assessments on human health (AMAP 1998, 2003, 2009) and represents the current knowledge base after 25 years of focused study. This report includes new knowledge, updates and fills information gaps identified in past reports, and focuses attention on the most recent integrated scientific knowledge related to environmental contaminants and human health. It does not update information concerning the levels and effects of radioactivity and UV-radiation; these topics were addressed in the first comprehensive AMAP Assessment Report (AMAP 1998). The AMAP 2015 collects and discuss all the data from the relevant cohorts and surveys carried out in Inuits groups of Alaska, Canada and Greenland. It describes the projects, the results as the levels of contaminants found in the areas, the health that these contaminants can cause, future risks, and risk communication.

DONALDSON, S. SYMON, C. (2015): AMAP Assessment 2015: Human Health in the Arctic. Oslo, Norway: Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) URL [Accessed: 07.06.2018]
Training Material

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