NUNAVUT - Two studies published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal last month paint a poor picture of the health of Nunavut's youngest residents.

Ataguttaaluk High School student Linda Airut helps elder Eunice Anngutautok prepare breakfast at the school's breakfast program in Iglulik on Feb. 10. - photo courtesy of Vince Pickett

A study published on Jan. 25 found that the rate of infant deaths was almost three times higher in Inuit inhabited areas (from the Northwest Territories east to northern Labrador) than in the rest of Canada.

"Inuit-inhabited areas had substantially higher rates of stillbirth and infant, neonatal and postneonatal death," the report said.

All of the major causes of infant deaths, birth defects, sudden infant death syndrome, infections and babies born prematurely were prevalent among births in Inuit inhabited areas, the study said.

Smoking increases these risks and many Inuit women smoke while pregnant, the study also said.

Dr. Isaac Sobol, Nunavut's chief medical officer of health, agreed.

"Smoking can result in low birth weight babies and babies born prematurely," he said. "We know that lots of women smoke while they're pregnant."

Sobol said a study conducted at the Iqaluit medical boarding home, the Anaana Project, in 2005 and 2007 revealed shocking statistics about substance use during pregnancy. One hundred pregnant women were interviewed and had blood samples taken during the study, Sobol said.

"Of those 100 women, 89 per cent smoked during their pregnancy and they smoked a daily average of nine cigarettes per day," he said. "That's huge."

Sixty-two per cent of women reported smoking marijuana while pregnant while another 53 per cent reported drinking while pregnant, according to Sobol.

"Women are smoking, women might be using alcohol during pregnancy, all of those can contribute to the outcome of a birth," he said.

Sobol said the health department is focusing on maternal health.

"We have recognized before that we should be looking for better birth outcomes and better results in terms of infant mortality and we're focusing on that as a department," he said.

Enhancing Nunavut's midwifery program is part of the strategy.

"They're going to be working with the women throughout their pregnancy. They're going to be around at the birth they're going to be working with the women after the babies are born," he said. "I think it's going to be really helpful in terms of education and support for those women."

Sobol said making women aware about available resources is key. The Anaana Project discovered a lack of communication between local health centres and community residents.

"We found that 81 per cent of women were severely deficient in vitamin D. That's in spite of the fact that we recognized that low vitamin D was a problem, that we developed a protocol for giving vitamin D for free for all women who were pregnant," he said.

Sobol said the department plans on hiring five community health development workers to link residents with available programs.

"We budgeted for five community health development workers. We've got one in place and we're still implementing our strategic plan for public health," he said.

When asked about the study, Nunavut MP and federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq said the government is trying to address these issues by educating people about the dangers of smoking during pregnancy.

Inuit kids go hungry: study

In another study published in January, researchers found that almost 70 per cent of pre-school aged Inuit children don't get enough to eat. The study also looked at the level of food "insecurity" in the household of each child surveyed.

Teachers in Nunavut know how not getting enough to eat can affect a child, especially when it comes to classroom behaviour and learning, according to Iglulik's Ataguttaaluk High School principal Vince Pickett.

Breakfast programs in schools are vital, he said.

"We have somewhere between 30 and 50 students who take part every day," Pickett said about Ataguttaaluk's breakfast program.

Pickett said he believes Nunavut's housing crisis is a big factor when it comes to kids getting enough to eat.

"I know there's an issue of overcrowding and the housing situation is poor in Nunavut. That automatically leads to kids coming to school hungry," he said. "Overcrowding coincides with kids going to school hungry. Those things are closely connected."

Quqshuun Ilihakvik Elementary in Gjoa Haven also has a breakfast program, according to student support teacher Bernadette O'Brien.

O'Brien said the program is crucial.

"It's really, really important for the kids having this breakfast program," he said. "I don't know what we would do without it."