Long-Range Transport of Information: Are Arctic Residents Getting the Message about Contaminants?

Since contaminants were discovered in Arctic human populations well over two decades ago, northern residents have been receiving information about the nature of such contaminants in the environment and their possible effects on human and wildlife health. The information offered has evolved with attempts to improve its sensitivity and appropriateness and to assure northern peoples that traditional foods are still a healthy choice. A survey conducted in four Nunavut and Labrador communities to evaluate the degree to which residents had been exposed to and comprehended information regarding contaminants in country food found that the information has not been as broadly received as expected. In particular, women of childbearing age—a key population group—do not appear to have understood or to be able to recall messages previously disseminated. We argue the enormous effort put into communication on contaminants is not achieving the desired result: the statements and actions of Arctic people do not reflect the importance of the information passed on through communication programs. Characteristics of risk communication, as well as those of Arctic communities, may be influencing how information is received and interpreted. Much recent dissemination of information about country foods in the Canadian Arctic has emphasized the nutritional value of such foods. Should it become necessary to “nuance” this message in the future, regarding certain species that are being consumed or certain population groups with higher risk of contaminant exposure, it appears that more effective communication modes and messages will need to be developed.Depuis que des contaminants ont été découverts chez les populations humaines de l’Arctique il y a plus d’une vingtaine d’années de cela, les habitants du Nord ont reçu de l’information sur la nature de ces contaminants dans l’environnement et sur leurs effets possibles sur la santé de l’être humain et de la faune. Les renseignements publiés ont évolué, en ce sens qu’ils sont maintenant plus pertinents et adéquats. Ces renseignements visent aussi à assurer aux peuples du Nord que leur nourriture traditionnelle constitue toujours un choix sain. Grâce à un sondage réalisé dans quatre collectivités du Nunavut et du Labrador dans le but d’évaluer la mesure dans laquelle les habitants ont été en contact avec de l’information concernant les contaminants se trouvant dans la nourriture du terroir et la mesure dans laquelle ils avaient compris cette information, on a pu déterminer que l’information n’avait pas été reçue à aussi grande échelle qu’escompté. En particulier, les femmes en âge de procréer — un segment clé de la population — ne semblent pas avoir compris les messages diffusés ou ne se rappellent pas les avoir vus. On soutient que les efforts énormes qui sont consacrés à la communication sur les contaminants ne donnent pas les résultats voulus : les déclarations et les gestes des gens de l’Arctique ne reflètent pas l’importance de l’information transmise grâce aux programmes de communication. Les caractéristiques de la communication des risques de même que des collectivités de l’Arctique peuvent exercer une influence sur la manière dont l’information est reçue et interprétée. La dissémination plus récente d’information sur la nourriture du terroir de l’Arctique canadien a mis l’accent sur la valeur nutritive de cette nourriture. Advenant qu’il s’avère nécessaire de « nuancer » ce message à l’avenir, en ce qui a trait à certaines espèces qui sont consommées ou à certains segments de la population qui présentent plus de risques d’entrer en contact avec les contaminants, il semblerait que des modes de communication et des messages plus efficaces devront être mis en oeuvre

Digesting the Message about Contaminants and Country Foods in the Canadian North: A Review and Recommendations for Future Research and Action

Communicating the risks of environmental contaminants in the food chain to northern Aboriginal peoples poses significant challenges for communities at risk and environment and health professionals alike. Reported results of poor risk communication practice on this issue include increased fear and confusion in northern communities, changes in the dietary behaviour and traditional lifestyles of their residents, and associated impacts on their society, economy, and health. A review of past communication research and activities on this issue in the Canadian North reveals a general ad hoc “learning by doing” approach to primarily one-way communication events. The lack of focused communication research on an issue that has garnered great focus and effort elsewhere in the country and continent has forced health professionals and communicators to rely on assumptions about the reception and level of comprehension of important health messages previously disseminated. The importance of this information is increasing as research begins to detect subtle health effects from exposure to these substances among newborns in some northern regions. Thus planning and evaluation are needed for risk communication, and possibly changes to the scale at which communication work is done in northern communities.Le fait d’informer les peuples autochtones du Nord des risques associés à la présence de contaminants de l’environnement dans la chaîne alimentaire pose un défi de taille pour les collectivités exposées à ces risques, tout comme pour les professionnels de l’environnement et de la santé. Les résultats déjà rapportés d’une piètre pratique de divulgation des risques sur cette question mentionnent une augmentation de la peur et de la confusion dans les collectivités nordiques, des changements dans le comportement alimentaire et le style de vie traditionnel des résidents, et les impacts qui en résultent sur leur société, leur économie et leur santé. Un examen de la recherche en communications et des activités de divulgation antérieures sur cette question dans le Nord révèle que la communication est principalement unilatérale et se fait de façon improvisée sur le tas. Le manque d’une recherche en communications bien ciblée, sur une question ayant pris beaucoup d’ampleur et donné lieu à une importante mobilisation ailleurs à l’échelle du pays et du continent, ce manque donc a obligé les professionnels de la santé et les spécialistes en communications dans le domaine à se fier à des hypothèses quant à la réception et au niveau de compréhension d’importants messages relatifs à la santé diffusés antérieurement. Cette information acquiert de plus en plus d’importance à mesure que la recherche commence à détecter des effets ténus sur la santé dus à une exposition à ces contaminants chez les nouveau-nés dans certaines régions du Nord. Il faut donc procéder à une planification et à une évaluation de la divulgation des risques, voire à des changements dans l’échelle à laquelle s’effectue la communication dans les collectivités du Nord

Drinking Water and Potential Threats to Human Health in Nunavik: Adaptation Strategies under Climate Change Conditions

In Nunavik, chlorine-treated water is delivered daily, by tank truck, to the houses, where it is stored in tanks. A large part of the Inuit population continues to depend on an untreated water supply, however. This traditional activity poses certain risks in a region with an abundant presence of migratory animals. Nunavik has also experienced significant climate warming since the beginning of the last decade. The main goal of this study, which took place in 2003 and 2004, was to evaluate drinking habits that may place Nunavik residents at an increased risk of gastroenteric diseases in the context of climate change. During the Amundsen cruise in fall 2004, we observed that raw water from the collection sites most frequently visited (brooks, lakes, rivers) was of good quality in most of the villages. Regular monitoring of these sites is necessary, however, and the public should be warned when the sites become contaminated. Of particular concern was the water from the individual storage containers, which was much more contaminated than the water at the collection sites. To develop or improve the climate change adaptation strategies in this area, we propose 1) establishing an appropriate environmental monitoring system, 2) improving wastewater disposal and municipal water systems, 3) involving nursing staff in microbiological testing of the water at community sites, 4) raising public awareness of the risks related to raw water consumption, and 5) gathering strategic health information during the periods of the year when cases of gastroenteric diseases are most frequent, in order to establish whether there is a link between these disorders and water quality.Au Nunavik, de l’eau traitée par chloration est livrée à domicile tous les jours au moyen d’un camion-citerne, après quoi cette eau est stockée dans des réservoirs. Cependant, une grande partie de la population inuite continue de s’approvisionner en eau non traitée. Cette activité traditionnelle pose certains risques dans une région caractérisée par une abondance d’animaux en migration. Aussi, depuis le début de la dernière décennie, le Nunavik a enregistré un réchauffement climatique considérable. Cette étude, qui s’est déroulée de 2003 à 2004, avait pour but principal d’évaluer les habitudes de consommation d’eau qui sont susceptibles de mettre les habitants du Nunavik davantage à risque de subir des maladies gastro-entériques dans le contexte du changement climatique. Dans le cadre de la croisière de l’Amundsen à l’automne 2004, nous avons constaté que l’eau brute des lieux de collecte les plus souvent visités (les ruisseaux, les lacs et les rivières) était de bonne qualité dans la plupart des villages. Cela dit, la surveillance régulière de ces emplacements s’avère nécessaire et le grand public devrait être averti en cas de contamination. L’eau des contenants de stockage individuels représentait une source de préoccupation particulière, car elle était bien plus contaminée que l’eau des lieux de collecte. Afin d’élaborer ou d’améliorer les stratégies d’adaptation au changement climatique dans cette région, nous proposons ce qui suit : 1) établir un système de surveillance environnementale adéquat, 2) améliorer le système d’élimination des eaux usées et le réseau municipal d’alimentation en eau, 3) faire appel au personnel infirmier pour faire les tests microbiologiques de l’eau aux emplacements communautaires, 4) sensibiliser le grand public davantage aux risques liés à la consommation d’eau non traitée, 5) recueillir des renseignements stratégiques sur la santé pendant les périodes de l’année où les maladies gastro-entériques sont plus fréquentes afin de déterminer s’il existe un lien entre ces maladies et la qualité de l’eau

Cash Economy and Store-Bought Food Biases in Food Security Assessments of Inuit Nunangat

Researchers, community organisations, and Inuit leaders increasingly question the suitability of methods to assess the prevalence of food insecurity in Inuit Nunangat (the Inuit homeland in Canada). Of particular contention is the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM), applied in modified form as part of Health Canada’s nationwide Canadian Community Health (CCHS) and Aboriginal Peoples Surveys. The 18-question HFSSM is the primary survey tool used by the Government of Canada to assess food security prevalence, yet the Module asks only about the affordability of store-bought foods (also termed ‘market foods’ elsewhere in literature) when collecting data to designate food security status. This is despite communities in Inuit Nunangat having complex ‘dual’ or ‘mixed’ food systems and foodways: relying on foods harvested from ancestral lands (country foods) in combination with store-bought foods to sustain mixed cash-subsistence economies and diets. Sourcing country foods requires money for the purchase of equipment and machinery. However, they also have numerous access and availability criteria dictated by non-financial factors. In this paper, we explore the problem of the monetary bias (the focus on an individual or household’s ability to purchase foods) in the HFSSM and discuss the knock-on effects of using monetary metrics as the sole means of measuring and monitoring food security in dual food environments. We contend that relying on monetary access as a measure presents an incomplete picture of the reality of food insecurity in Inuit Nunangat. Presently, there is little consideration of the nuance of social norms and cultural values that govern dual food systems or the importance of less tangible non-financial factors that might affect food access (e.g. knowledge of where and how to harvest and maintain machinery, suitable environmental conditions for travel, conducive harvest regulations, social relationships, and ecological stability). Ultimately, this contributes to restricted policy-level understandings of what it means to ensure stable, culturally adequate, and just food systems, and limits self-determination in northern food environments

Ringed Seal Monitoring and Planning Workshop

Ringed seals (Pusa hispida) are the most abundant seal in the Arctic. They are an important traditional food for Inuit throughout Nunavut, and ringed seal skins are an important resource used for clothing and other products. Ringed seals rely on first-year sea ice as a platform for resting and moulting (shedding old hair and replacing it with new growth) and they construct birth lairs beneath the snow for protecting pups against both predators and weather. In many parts of their range, ringed seals feed on fishes and other organisms associated with epontic (under-ice) biological communities. Ringed seals are therefore an important species to monitor as they are vulnerable to changes in environmental conditions, such as ice extent and thickness, snowfall, and abundance of other marine species. Changes in ringed seal health will also affect the health of Inuit communities. In particular, there have been advisories on the consumption of ringed seal liver as a result of contaminants and pollutants. Ringed seal research programs exist across the Canadian Arctic, especially in the eastern Arctic, and involve the participation of local hunters in the collection of samples and data. There is growing interest among communities and researchers in expanding both the focus of research and the communities involved. We held a workshop in Iqaluit, NU on March 6-7, 2014, that invited researchers, managers, community members, and students to discuss knowledge and issues around ringed seal research in Nunavut. The purpose of the workshop was to provide an opportunity to exchange knowledge, identify information gaps and priorities, plan for future collaborative and community-based research on ringed seals, as well as identify management and community concerns. The workshop involved 10 community members from across Nunavut; 14 researchers from universities and government; 5 staff from Nunavut government departments and management organizations; 2 representatives from Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated; a representative from the Nunavut Research Institute; and 14 students from the Environmental Technology Program (ETP) at Nunavut Arctic College. The workshop structure involved breakout sessions during which small groups shared their perspectives about specific topics, followed by plenary sessions where each breakout group reported the main points from their discussions to the full group. Breakout sessions focused on 1) identifying knowledge priorities, 2) the communication and use of knowledge, and 3) identifying a set of next steps for future action. Questions that were brought up throughout the plenary sessions were also recorded, and an additional breakout session was dedicated to providing groups with a chance to respond to those questions that were relevant to them.Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (Nunavut General Monitoring Plan and Northern Contaminants Program), Government of Nunavut, Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, World Wildlife Fund Canada, Environment Canad

Sociodemographic patterning of dietary profiles among Inuit youth and adults in Nunavik, Canada: a cross-sectional study

Objectives Country (traditional) foods are integral to Inuit culture, but market food consumption is increasing. The Qanuilirpitaa? 2017 Nunavik Health Survey (Q2017) reported similar country food consumption frequency compared to that in 2004; however, examining food items individually does not account for diet patterns, food accessibility, and correlations between food items. Our objective was to identify underlying dietary profiles and compare them across sex, age, ecological region, and food insecurity markers, given the links among diet, health, and sociocultural determinants. Methods Food frequency and sociodemographic data were derived from the Q2017 survey (N = 1176). Latent profile analysis identified dietary profiles using variables for the relative frequencies of country and market food consumption first, followed by an analysis with those for country food variables only. Multinomial logistic regression examined the associations among dietary profiles, sociodemographic factors, and food insecurity markers (to disassociate between food preferences and food access). Results Four overall dietary profiles and four country food dietary profiles were identified characterized by the relative frequency of country and market food in the diet. The patterns were stable across several sensitivity analyses and in line with our Inuit partners’ local knowledge. For the overall profiles, women and adults aged 30–49 years were more likely to have a market food–dominant profile, whereas men and individuals aged 16–29 and 50+ years more often consumed a country food–dominant profile. In the country food profiles, Inuit aged 16–29 years were more likely to have a moderate country food profile whereas Inuit aged 50+ were more likely to have a high country food–consumption profile. A low country and market food–consumption profile was linked to higher prevalence of food insecurity markers. Conclusion We were able to identify distinct dietary profiles with strong social patterning. The profiles elucidated in this study are aligned with the impact of colonial influence on diet and subsequent country food promotion programs for Inuit youth. These profiles will be used for further study of nutritional status, contaminant exposure, and health to provide context for future public health programs.Objectifs Les aliments traditionnels font partie intégrante de la culture inuite, mais la consommation d’aliments du marché est en augmentation. L’enquête de santé des Inuit Qanuilirpitaa? réalisée en 2017 (Q2017) a mis en évidence que la fréquence de consommation d’aliments traditionnels était similaire à celle rapportée en 2004. Or, les fréquences de consommation des aliments pris individuellement ne tiennent pas compte des habitudes alimentaires, de l’accessibilité des aliments et des corrélations entre les aliments consommés. Notre objectif était d’identifier les profils alimentaires sous-jacents et de les comparer selon le sexe, l’âge, la région écologique et les marqueurs d’insécurité alimentaire, étant donné le lien entre l’alimentation, la santé et les déterminants socioculturels. Méthodes Les données sur les fréquences alimentaires et sociodémographiques sont issues de l’enquête Q2017 (N=1176). L’analyse des profils latents a permis d’identifier des profils alimentaires en utilisant les variables pour les fréquences relatives de la consommation d’aliments traditionnels et du marché et uniquement celles pour les aliments traditionnels. Des régressions logistiques multinomiales ont été utilisées pour examiner les associations entre les profils alimentaires, les facteurs sociodémographiques et les marqueurs d’insécurité alimentaire (pour dissocier les préférences alimentaires de l’accès aux aliments). Résultats Quatre profils alimentaires globaux et quatre profils alimentaires spécifiques à la consommation d’aliments traditionnels ont été identifiés en fonction de la fréquence relative des aliments traditionnels et des aliments du marché dans l’alimentation. Les profils étaient en accord avec les connaissances locales de nos partenaires Inuit. Pour les profils alimentaires globaux, les femmes et les adultes âgés de 30 à 49 ans étaient plus susceptibles d’avoir un profil dominé par les aliments du marché, tandis que les hommes et les personnes âgées de 16 à 29 ans et celles de 50 ans et plus avaient plus fréquemment un profil dominé par les aliments traditionnels. En ce qui concerne les profils de consommation d’aliments traditionnels, les Inuit âgés de 16 à 29 ans étaient plus susceptibles d’avoir un profil modéré de consommation d’aliments traditionnels, tandis que les Inuit âgés de 50 ans et plus étaient plus susceptibles d’avoir un profil élevé de consommation d’aliments traditionnels. Un profil bas de consommation d’aliments traditionnels et de marché était associé à une prévalence plus élevée de marqueurs d’insécurité alimentaire. Conclusion Nous avons identifié différents profils alimentaires et ces derniers étaient associés à des caractéristiques socio-démographiques distinctes. Les profils alimentaires mis en lumière dans cette étude concordent avec l’impact du colonialisme sur l’alimentation au Nunavik et aux programmes subséquents de promotion des aliments traditionnels auprès des jeunes Inuit. Ces profils seront utilisés pour une étude plus approfondie du statut nutritionnel, de l’exposition aux contaminants et des issues de santé afin d’identifier des pistes de solutions pour les futurs programmes de santé publique

Towards a better understanding of the benefits and risks of country food consumption using the case of walruses in Nunavik (Northern Quebec, Canada)

Food insecurity affects Inuit communities. One solution is to consume locally harvested foods, named country foods. However, some country foods are not eaten as often as before, and pressures including contaminants and environmental changes threaten the health of Arctic fauna, thus its suitability for local consumption. By combining Inuit Knowledge with laboratory data, our study assessed the benefits and risks of walrus consumption by Inuit in Nunavik, Québec, Canada. It aimed to increase understanding of: 1) the hunt of healthy Atlantic walruses (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus); 2) the safe preparation of walruses; 3) the nutritional benefits and risks of consuming walruses. To do so, we interviewed 34 hunters and Elders from Nunavik. Levels of mercury, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and selenium were evaluated from locally harvested walruses. Through the Nunavik Trichinellosis Prevention Program, a total of 755 Atlantic walrus samples, collected between 1994 and 2013, were tested for Trichinella nativa. Information on botulism was reviewed. While interviews informed on how to select healthy walruses and prepare them for consumption, laboratory analyses revealed that walruses had elevated levels of omega-3 fatty acids and selenium but low levels of mercury compared to some other wildlife. Only 3% of the 755 walruses were infected with T. nativa. Most walruses' infections were found within individuals from the South East Hudson Bay stock, where Inuit have thus decided to stop hunting since mid-2000s. Finally, although the number of outbreaks of trichinellosis related to the consumption of walruses has significantly reduced in Nunavik, botulism could continue to be an issue when igunaq (i.e. aged walrus) is not properly prepared. With the support of the Nunavik Trichinellosis Prevention Program and transmission of Inuit knowledge on igunaq preparation, the consumption of Atlantic walruses has the potential to help address issues related to food insecurity in Nunavik in the future

Seasonal variations in exposure to methylmercury and its dietary sources among pregnant Inuit women in Nunavik, Canada

Among populations living in close connection with the sea, rivers and lakes for subsistence, diet varies according to local monthly wildlife species availability and food preferences. This may lead to variations in methylmercury (MeHg) exposure over a year, although no biomonitoring studies have documented this issue in Circumpolar populations, the most exposed to international Hg emissions. Our aim was to characterize seasonal variations in MeHg exposure among pregnant Inuit women from Nunavik and to identify country foods responsible for these variations. Between October 2016 and March 2017, 97 participants were recruited. Blood mercury (Hg) was tested and hair Hg was measured by centimeter as a surrogate for monthly MeHg exposure over the past year. Latent class growth analysis was conducted to identify groups of pregnant women with similar hair Hg monthly trajectories. Country foods consumption was documented by season. Seasonal daily intakes of MeHg were estimated based on concentrations in country foods. Retrospective monthly hair Hg analyses revealed that MeHg exposure was lowest in winter, and highest in summer and early fall months. Three latent classes (groups) of pregnant women with similar trajectories of monthly hair Hg variations were identified: high (n = 20, 21%), moderate (n = 38, 41%) and low variation (n = 35, 38%). Beluga meat was the country food contributing to most of daily MeHg intake, primarily during summer and fall, and was the only one associated with the odds of being classified into moderate and high variation groups (OR 95% CI: 1.19 [1.01–1.39] and 1.25 [1.04–1.50]). These findings underscore the importance of monthly variations in exposure to MeHg due to the seasonality of local foods consumed and responsible for elevated MeHg exposure. Further studies critically need to understand local diet fluctuations over a year to adequately assess MeHg exposure, adopt timely preventive interventions and evaluate the effectiveness of the Minamata Convention

Knowledge Transfer and Exchange Processes for Environmental Health Issues in Canadian Aboriginal Communities

Within Canadian Aboriginal communities, the process for utilizing environmental health research evidence in the development of policies and programs is not well understood. This fundamental qualitative descriptive study explored the perceptions of 28 environmental health researchers, senior external decision-makers and decision-makers working within Aboriginal communities about factors influencing knowledge transfer and exchange, beliefs about research evidence and Traditional Knowledge and the preferred communication channels for disseminating and receiving evidence. The results indicate that collaborative relationships between researchers and decision-makers, initiated early and maintained throughout a research project, promote both the efficient conduct of a study and increase the likelihood of knowledge transfer and exchange. Participants identified that empirical research findings and Traditional Knowledge are different and distinct types of evidence that should be equally valued and used where possible to provide a holistic understanding of environmental issues and support decisions in Aboriginal communities. To facilitate the dissemination of research findings within Aboriginal communities, participants described the elements required for successfully crafting key messages, locating and using credible messengers to deliver the messages, strategies for using cultural brokers and identifying the communication channels commonly used to disseminate and receive this type of information