Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, August 15, 2007
YELLOWKNIFE - The Nunavut stage of the largest health survey ever conducted on Canadian Inuit has arrived in the Kivalliq.
The Qanuippitali (How about us, how are we?) Health Survey is a massive undertaking.
A core team of graduate students, researchers, support staff and Nunavut team members have been working in Iqaluit and Montreal since funding was announced through the Canadian Federal Program for International Polar Year on March 1.
The survey is a partnership that includes McGill University, the Centre of Indigenous People's Nutrition and Environment, federal government, Government of Nunavut (GN), Nunavut Association of Municipalities (NAM) and Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI).
About 2,000 adults and 600 children in the regions of Nunavut, Nunatsiavut, and Inuvialuit will be tested during the next two years.
McGill professor Grace Egeland is the principal investigator for the Nunavut Inuit Health Survey.
Egeland said the survey will help researchers and health-care professionals determine what diseases are prevalent in Inuit communities, and provide information towards health-care planning, prevention and spending.
She said land crews and health teams will conduct tests for diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and the risk of stroke.
Participants will also be asked about their diet, life stressors and coping, home crowding and other lifestyle health questions.
"A key point in the planning stage was when it was decided to invite the Canadian Coast Guard ship Amundsen to come and help make the survey possible," said Egeland.
"To do a modern health survey out of a suitcase, using airlines to transport a blood specimen south to test for diabetes or heart disease risk factors, is problematic because of weather delays and other factors.
"We have a state-of-the-art lab and clinical setting on the ship and six nurses, one of whom speaks Inuktitut.
"We also have a nurse on each of the three land teams and good co-ordination between the two."
Egeland said the ship makes it possible to get health information back to participants relatively quickly, but does not replace health care.
"Individuals should still go and have a regular checkup at their health centres, but we can provide indication of early-warning signs for diabetes and heart disease, as well as look at markers for nutritional status, environment and infections.
"Personal results will be back within two to four months in an easy-to-understand format, and individuals identified at risk will have follow-ups conducted at their local health centre."
After starting with two days in Sanikiluaq, land teams will now head to Arviat, Whale Cove and Rankin Inlet.
Arviat's Thomas Suluk has been conducting community home visits for about three weeks.
He said the common question he's been asked is why the study is being conducted.
"Many Inuit see this as a federal study, even though it's being conducted by a university, so that has them wondering if the medical and health services provided to Inuit are in trouble," said Suluk.
"The other common question is why on a ship?
"We assure people the health services are not in trouble and the ship just makes transporting equipment back and forth a lot easier.
"It's more cost effective to bring along a portable nursing station."
Egeland said the GN sees the long-term public-health benefits from the survey as better planning for health-care dollars, as well as lobbying for more money.
She said about 1,000 people from 18 Nunavut hamlets will be surveyed during the next two months, with about 12 per cent of them being selected to participate in ship activities.
"The study is for adults 18 years and older, with a smaller child survey to take place after the ship departs," said Egeland.
"We'll be working with three-to-five-year olds in that segment, looking at nutritional health status."
Egeland said the first tangible benefits to the survey are the results that go back to the individuals who take part.
After that, results going back to communities, regions, NAM, NTI and the GN, among others, will help in the planning of health-care delivery, prevention and intervention.
She said the use of country food has also been blended into the survey.
"We do have input from a culturally-appropriate perspective to make the survey more relevant for Nunavut.
"Lab analysis now are sensitive and we can get a handle on pre-diabetes and who's at risk before it develops.
"This information can be very helpful to communities trying to combat the problem before it gets out of hand.
"So, everyone's eager to see the results of this survey and figure out our next steps."
