1
|
Aker A, Ayotte P, Furgal C, Kenny TA, Little M, Gauthier MJ, Bouchard A, Lemire M. Sociodemographic patterning of dietary profiles among Inuit youth and adults in Nunavik, Canada: a cross-sectional study. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH = REVUE CANADIENNE DE SANTE PUBLIQUE 2024; 115:66-82. [PMID: 36482145 PMCID: PMC10830983 DOI: 10.17269/s41997-022-00724-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
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.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amira Aker
- Axe santé des populations et pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
- Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Pierre Ayotte
- Axe santé des populations et pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
- Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
- Centre de toxicologie du Québec, Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Chris Furgal
- Department of Indigenous Studies, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tiff-Annie Kenny
- Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Matthew Little
- School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Amélie Bouchard
- Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, Kuujjuaq, Québec, Canada
| | - Mélanie Lemire
- Axe santé des populations et pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada.
- Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada.
- Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hillemann F, Beheim BA, Ready E. Socio-economic predictors of Inuit hunting choices and their implications for climate change adaptation. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220395. [PMID: 37718596 PMCID: PMC10505855 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
In the Arctic, seasonal variation in the accessibility of the land, sea ice and open waters influences which resources can be harvested safely and efficiently. Climate stressors are also increasingly affecting access to subsistence resources. Within Inuit communities, people differ in their involvement with subsistence activities, but little is known about how engagement in the cash economy (time and money available) and other socio-economic factors shape the food production choices of Inuit harvesters, and their ability to adapt to rapid ecological change. We analyse 281 foraging trips involving 23 Inuit harvesters from Kangiqsujuaq, Nunavik, Canada using a Bayesian approach modelling both patch choice and within-patch success. Gender and income predict Inuit harvest strategies: while men, especially men from low-income households, often visit patches with a relatively low success probability, women and high-income hunters generally have a higher propensity to choose low-risk patches. Inland hunting, marine hunting and fishing differ in the required equipment and effort, and hunters may have to shift their subsistence activities if certain patches become less profitable or less safe owing to high costs of transportation or climate change (e.g. navigate larger areas inland instead of targeting seals on the sea ice). Our finding that household income predicts patch choice suggests that the capacity to maintain access to country foods depends on engagement with the cash economy. This article is part of the theme issue 'Climate change adaptation needs a science of culture'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Friederike Hillemann
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Bret A. Beheim
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Elspeth Ready
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Collings P, Ready E, Medina-Ramírez OM. An Ethnographic Model of Stress and Stress Management in Two Canadian Inuit Communities. JOURNAL OF CROSS-CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.1177/00220221231155105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/28/2023]
Abstract
As part of the first stage of a community-based participatory research project with two communities in the Canadian Arctic—Kangiqsujuaq, Nunavik, and Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories—we conducted 57 interviews eliciting residents’ perceptions of pressing issues facing their communities, problems affecting health and wellbeing, and how researchers or other organized groups could help alleviate those problems. A recurrent theme that emerged during these interviews was having “no one to talk to.” Here, we focus on understanding why communication was a central theme using a grounded-theory approach to develop a model of Inuit stress management. Inuit in both Kangiqsujuaq and Ulukhaktok codify stress as isumaaluttuq, or excess worry, which often manifests physically and leads to social withdrawal. Because stress is believed to accumulate in the body, managing it involves decisions about whether to “Get It Out” or “Keep It In.” Keep It In is a potentially dangerous strategy because, if the problem does not resolve itself, accumulated stress may have harmful consequences. Inuit viewed talking to others as the most effective means to Get It Out, but respondents also identified numerous barriers to doing so. One important reason for this is that stress is transferable: Talking to others about a problem potentially increases the burden of stress on them. Consequently, Inuit may choose to Keep It In to avoid the potential negative consequences (for others or for oneself) of sharing bad thoughts. Based on this preliminary model, we consider questions for further inquiry and implications for community-based mental health programming in Inuit communities.
Collapse
|
4
|
Animal reservoirs for hepatitis E virus within the Paslahepevirus genus. Vet Microbiol 2023; 278:109618. [PMID: 36640568 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2022.109618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is responsible for acute hepatitis in humans. It is a single-stranded, positive-sense RNA virus that belongs to the Hepeviridae family. The majority of concerning HEV genotypes belong to the Paslahepevirus genus and are subsequently divided into eight genotypes. HEV genotypes 1 and 2 exclusively infect humans and primates while genotypes 3 and 4 infect both humans and other mammals. Whereas HEV genotypes 5 and 6 are isolated from wild boars and genotypes 7 and 8 were identified from camels in the United Arab Emirates and China, respectively. HEV mainly spreads from humans to humans via the fecal-oral route. However, some genotypes with the capability of zoonotic transmissions, such as 3 and 4 transmit from animals to humans through feces, direct contact, and ingestion of contaminated meat products. As we further continue to uncover novel HEV strains in various animal species, it is becoming clear that HEV has a broad host range. Therefore, understanding the potential animal reservoirs for this virus will allow for better risk management and risk mitigation of infection with HEV. In this review, we mainly focused on animal reservoirs for the members of the species Paslahepevirus balayani and provided a comprehensive list of the host animals identified to date.
Collapse
|
5
|
Brockington M, Beale D, Gaupholm J, Naylor A, Kenny TA, Lemire M, Falardeau M, Loring P, Parmley J, Little M. Identifying Barriers and Pathways Linking Fish and Seafood to Food Security in Inuit Nunangat: A Scoping Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:2629. [PMID: 36767995 PMCID: PMC9916245 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20032629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fish and seafood play an important role in improving food security in Inuit Nunangat. Therefore, this scoping review aims to explore (1) what topics and/or themes have been widely explored in the literature related to barriers and pathways linking fish and seafood to food security; (2) where research, policy, and action gaps exist; and (3) how fisheries currently contribute to food security. METHODS A systematic search of peer-reviewed articles was conducted using six databases. Articles were screened by two independent reviewers. Eligible studies included primary research conducted in Inuit Nunangat that explored the roles of fish and seafood in food security. RESULTS Thirty-one articles were included for review. Overall, we found that fisheries can influence food security through direct pathways (e.g., consuming fish for nutrition), and through indirect pathways such as increasing household purchasing power (e.g., through employment). Research indicated that policies relating to wildlife and fisheries management need to be integrated with food and health policies to better address food insecurity in Inuit Nunangat. CONCLUSION Future research is needed to establish a more robust understanding of the explicit mechanisms that fish and seafood harvest and/or the participation in commercial fisheries alleviates household food insecurity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meghan Brockington
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Dorothy Beale
- School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Josephine Gaupholm
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Angus Naylor
- School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Tiff-Annie Kenny
- Centre de Recherche CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- Département de Médecine Sociale et Préventive, Université Laval, Quebec, QC G1V 5C3, Canada
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes, Université Laval, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Mélanie Lemire
- Centre de Recherche CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- Département de Médecine Sociale et Préventive, Université Laval, Quebec, QC G1V 5C3, Canada
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes, Université Laval, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Marianne Falardeau
- Centre de Recherche CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- Département de Médecine Sociale et Préventive, Université Laval, Quebec, QC G1V 5C3, Canada
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes, Université Laval, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- Centre D’Études Nordiques (CEN), Université Laval, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- Department de Biologie, Université Laval, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Philip Loring
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Jane Parmley
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Matthew Little
- School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Aker A, Ayotte P, Caron-Beaudoin E, De Silva A, Ricard S, Gaudreau É, Lemire M. Plasma concentrations of perfluoroalkyl acids and their determinants in youth and adults from Nunavik, Canada. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 310:136797. [PMID: 36244416 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), a subset of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are environmentally stable, mobile and bioaccumulative compounds. This leads to high concentrations in wildlife species essential to the cultural identity and subsistence of Arctic populations. Our objective was to characterize the distribution and exposure determinants of PFAAs among Nunavik Inuit adults. The study included up to 1322 Nunavik residents aged 16-80 years who participated in the Qanuilirpitaa? 2017 Nunavik Inuit Health Survey (Q2017). Plasma concentrations were compared to those the general Canadian population using data from the Canadian Health Measures Survey Cycle 5 (2016-2017). Associations between plasma concentrations of nine PFAAs, determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and sociodemographic factors and traditional activity participation were examined using multiple linear regression models. Overall exposure to PFAAs was twice as high compared to the general Canadian population and less regulated perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA) concentrations were 7-fold higher, and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) concentrations were 4-fold higher. Males had higher concentrations of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), whereas females had higher concentrations of PFDA and PFUnDA. PFAAs concentrations increased with age and were highest among those aged 60+ years. PFNA and PFOA concentrations followed a J-shaped pattern: those aged 16-29 years had higher concentrations than those aged 20-29 and 30-39 years. Ungava Bay generally had lower concentrations of all PFAAs congeners compared to Hudson Bay and Hudson Strait, with the exception of PFNA, which tended to have the lowest concentration in Hudson Strait. PFAAs concentrations were highly associated with hunting activity, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and drinking water from environmental sources. The results highlight the importance of characterizing PFAAs exposure sources in Arctic communities and provide further evidence for the long-range transport of long-chain PFAAs and their precursors that necessitate international action.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amira Aker
- Axe santé des Populations et Pratiques Optimales en santé, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada; Département de médecine sociale et Préventive, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Pierre Ayotte
- Axe santé des Populations et Pratiques Optimales en santé, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada; Centre de Toxicologie du Québec, Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Elyse Caron-Beaudoin
- Department of Health and Society University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Amila De Silva
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Water Science Technology Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sylvie Ricard
- Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, Kuujjuaq, QC, Canada
| | - Éric Gaudreau
- Centre de Toxicologie du Québec, Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Melanie Lemire
- Axe santé des Populations et Pratiques Optimales en santé, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada; Département de médecine sociale et Préventive, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada; Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Shafiee M, Keshavarz P, Lane G, Pahwa P, Szafron M, Jennings D, Vatanparast H. Food Security Status of Indigenous Peoples in Canada According to the 4 Pillars of Food Security: A Scoping Review. Adv Nutr 2022; 13:2537-2558. [PMID: 35876642 PMCID: PMC9776675 DOI: 10.1093/advances/nmac081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Food insecurity is a significant public health problem for Indigenous peoples in Canada. A comprehensive literature review is needed to organize the evidence according to the 4 pillars of food security (i.e., availability, access, utilization, and stability) and identify gaps in the published literature on this topic. Therefore, in this scoping review we aimed to summarize the published research discussing any of the 4 pillars of food security among Indigenous peoples in Canada. We conducted a literature search of the following databases: Ovid Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science (Web of Knowledge), and CINAHL, as well as the Indigenous Studies Portal (up to June 19, 2021). Population-based studies of any design were included, except for review-style articles. Articles published in languages other than English were also excluded. Of the 4687 studies identified by the database searches, 91 met our inclusion criteria. Evidence from these studies indicates that all dimensions of food security among Indigenous peoples in Canada have been impacted. Lack of availability of both traditional and market foods is highlighted among Inuit and First Nation communities. Economic disadvantages, high food prices, and lack of access to transportation are major factors affecting the accessibility pillar of food security. Major factors affecting the utilization pillar of food security are the loss of traditional knowledge and skills, lack of knowledge on market foods, low quality of market foods, and food safety issues. Climate change has affected all 4 pillars of food security among Indigenous peoples. These findings suggest that resolving food insecurity issues among Indigenous peoples in Canada, especially those living in remote communities, requires a culturally specific integrated approach targeting food availability, food cost, food knowledge, food safety, and food quality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mojtaba Shafiee
- College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Pardis Keshavarz
- College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Ginny Lane
- Margaret Ritchie School of Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
| | - Punam Pahwa
- Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.,Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Michael Szafron
- School of Public Health, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Derek Jennings
- Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Hassan Vatanparast
- College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.,School of Public Health, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Shifting Safeties and Mobilities on the Land in Arctic North America: A Systematic Approach to Identifying the Root Causes of Disaster. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14127061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Amid the surge in research on mobility and migration in the context of environmental change, little research has focused on the experiences of people for whom travel is cyclical and a part of daily, weekly, or seasonal life. For Inuit in Arctic North America, the land is the heart of cultural and community life. Disruption to time spent on the land is reported to impact the emotional health and well-being of individuals and communities. There is concern that environmental change is creating barriers to safe travel, constituting a creeping disaster. We systematically review and evaluate the literature for discussion of barriers to travel for Inuit in Arctic North America, using an approach from the field of disaster anthropology to identify root causes of constraints to mobility. We identify root causes of risk and barriers to time spent on the land. These emerge from historic and contemporary colonial policy and inequality, as opposed to environmental hazards per se, impacting people’s mobility in profound ways and enacting a form of slow violence. These results suggest a need to understand the underlying processes and institutions that put people at risk.
Collapse
|
9
|
Piperata BA, Dufour DL. Food Insecurity, Nutritional Inequality, and Maternal–Child Health: A Role for Biocultural Scholarship in Filling Knowledge Gaps. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ANTHROPOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-anthro-101819-110317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Food insecurity, a significant contributor to nutritional inequality, disproportionately affects women and children in low- and middle-income countries. The magnitude of the problem has inspired research on its impacts on health, especially on nutritional status and, more recently, mental well-being. Current research is dominated by surveillance-type studies that emphasize access, one of food security's four dimensions. Findings are inconclusive regarding the association between food insecurity and women and children's nutritional status, but some evidence indicates that it is a key contributor to mental distress in women. To understand these inconsistent findings, we emphasize the need for research on the strategies that people use to cope with inadequate access to food. We contend that biocultural approaches that recognize the importance of local contexts and the role of broader political-economic factors in shaping them are well suited for addressing current knowledge gaps.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Barbara A. Piperata
- Department of Anthropology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Darna L. Dufour
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Naylor AW, Ford JD, Pearce T, Fawcett D, Clark D, van Alstine J. Monitoring the dynamic vulnerability of an Arctic subsistence food system to climate change: The case of Ulukhaktok, NT. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0258048. [PMID: 34587225 PMCID: PMC8480605 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Vulnerability to climate change is highly dynamic, varying between and within communities over different timescales. This paper draws upon complex adaptive systems thinking to develop an approach for capturing, understanding, and monitoring climate vulnerability in a case study from northern Canada, focusing on Inuit food systems. In the community of Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories, we followed 10 hunters over a 2-year period, asking them to document their harvesting activities and discuss their lived experience of harvesting under changing environmental and societal conditions. GPS monitoring and participatory mapping sessions were used to document 23,996km of trails (n = 409), with conversational bi-weekly semi-structured interviews and secondary instrumental weather data used to contextualise climate change within a nexus of other socioeconomic, cultural, and political stressors that also affect harvesting. Our results demonstrate that climate change has considerable potential to affect harvesting activities, particularly when its impacts manifest as anomalous/extreme events. However, climate change impacts are not necessarily the most salient issues affecting harvesting on a day-to-day basis. Instead, factors relating to economics (particularly financial capital and the wage-based economy), social networks, and institutions are found to have a greater influence, either as standalone factors with cascading effects or when acting synchronously to augment the impacts of environmental change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angus W. Naylor
- Priestley International Centre for Climate, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
- School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - James D. Ford
- Priestley International Centre for Climate, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
- School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
| | - Tristan Pearce
- Department of Global and International Studies, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada
| | - David Fawcett
- Department of Global and International Studies, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Dylan Clark
- Canadian Institute for Climate Choices, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - James van Alstine
- School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Naylor AW, Pearce T, Ford JD, Fawcett D, Collings P, Harper SL. Understanding Determinants of Hunting Trip Productivity in an Arctic Community. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2021.688350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We examine factors underlying hunting productivity among Inuit in Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories, Canada. Specifically, we focus on the role of gasoline use as the main variable of interest—commonly cited as a crucial determinant of hunting participation. Over the course of 12 months, 10 hunters recorded their on-the-land activities using a GPS tracking system, participatory mapping sessions, and bi-weekly interviews. A multivariable linear regression model (MvLRM) was applied to assess whether factors such as consumables used (i.e. heating fuel, gasoline, oil, food), distances traveled, or the number of companions on a trip were associated with the mass of edible foods returned to the community. Results indicate that, despite being positively associated with hunting trip productivity when assessed through a univariable linear regression model, gasoline is not a statistically significant determinant of standalone trip yield when adjusting for other variables in a multivariable linear regression. Instead, factors relating to seasonality, number of companions, and days on the land emerged as more significant and substantive drivers of productivity while out on the land. The findings do not suggest that access to, or the availability of, gasoline does not affect whether a hunting trip commences or is planned, nor that an increase in the amount of gasoline available to a hunter might increase the frequency of trips (and therefore annual productivity). Rather, this work demonstrates that the volume of gasoline used by harvesters on standalone hunting trips represent a poor a priori predictor of the edible weight that harvesters are likely to return to the community.
Collapse
|
12
|
Ratelle M, Skinner K, Packull-McCormick S, Laird B. Food frequency questionnaire assessing traditional food consumption in Dene/Métis communities, Northwest Territories, Canada. Int J Circumpolar Health 2021; 79:1760071. [PMID: 32400304 PMCID: PMC7269081 DOI: 10.1080/22423982.2020.1760071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQ) can be used to document food consumption and to estimate the intake of contaminants for Indigenous populations. The objective of this project was to refine and implement an FFQ to estimate the consumption of traditional locally harvested foods for Dene/Métis in the Northwest Territories, Canada. The strategy consisted of: 1) refining the FFQ through three focus groups and, 2) implementing the FFQ in Indigenous communities. Participants were asked to complete the FFQ using an iPad to document the types of traditional foods consumed over the past 12 months, as well as the consumption frequency, the portion size, and the preparation methods. Focus groups supported the refinement of the FFQ on the format, the list of foods, and the preparation methods listed in the questionnaire. The refined FFQ was then implemented with participants (n = 237). Findings indicated that the traditional foods most frequently consumed were moose, whitefish and lake trout. Participants who consumed fish and land animals reported, on average, a portion size for one serving of between 126 and 143 g, depending on age and sex. These findings increase knowledge of the current traditional food consumption of Dene/Métis communities and will support the assessment of contaminant exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mylène Ratelle
- School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kelly Skinner
- School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sara Packull-McCormick
- School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brian Laird
- School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Keatts LO, Robards M, Olson SH, Hueffer K, Insley SJ, Joly DO, Kutz S, Lee DS, Chetkiewicz CLB, Lair S, Preston ND, Pruvot M, Ray JC, Reid D, Sleeman JM, Stimmelmayr R, Stephen C, Walzer C. Implications of Zoonoses From Hunting and Use of Wildlife in North American Arctic and Boreal Biomes: Pandemic Potential, Monitoring, and Mitigation. Front Public Health 2021; 9:627654. [PMID: 34026707 PMCID: PMC8131663 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.627654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has re-focused attention on mechanisms that lead to zoonotic disease spillover and spread. Commercial wildlife trade, and associated markets, are recognized mechanisms for zoonotic disease emergence, resulting in a growing global conversation around reducing human disease risks from spillover associated with hunting, trade, and consumption of wild animals. These discussions are especially relevant to people who rely on harvesting wildlife to meet nutritional, and cultural needs, including those in Arctic and boreal regions. Global policies around wildlife use and trade can impact food sovereignty and security, especially of Indigenous Peoples. We reviewed known zoonotic pathogens and current risks of transmission from wildlife (including fish) to humans in North American Arctic and boreal biomes, and evaluated the epidemic and pandemic potential of these zoonoses. We discuss future concerns, and consider monitoring and mitigation measures in these changing socio-ecological systems. While multiple zoonotic pathogens circulate in these systems, risks to humans are mostly limited to individual illness or local community outbreaks. These regions are relatively remote, subject to very cold temperatures, have relatively low wildlife, domestic animal, and pathogen diversity, and in many cases low density, including of humans. Hence, favorable conditions for emergence of novel diseases or major amplification of a spillover event are currently not present. The greatest risk to northern communities from pathogens of pandemic potential is via introduction with humans visiting from other areas. However, Arctic and boreal ecosystems are undergoing rapid changes through climate warming, habitat encroachment, and development; all of which can change host and pathogen relationships, thereby affecting the probability of the emergence of new (and re-emergence of old) zoonoses. Indigenous leadership and engagement in disease monitoring, prevention and response, is vital from the outset, and would increase the success of such efforts, as well as ensure the protection of Indigenous rights as outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Partnering with northern communities and including Indigenous Knowledge Systems would improve the timeliness, and likelihood, of detecting emerging zoonotic risks, and contextualize risk assessments to the unique human-wildlife relationships present in northern biomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucy O. Keatts
- Wildlife Conservation Society Health Program, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Martin Robards
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Arctic Beringia Program, Fairbanks, AK, United States
| | - Sarah H. Olson
- Wildlife Conservation Society Health Program, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Karsten Hueffer
- Department of Veterinary Medicine & Arctic and Northern Studies Program, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, United States
| | - Stephen J. Insley
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | | | - Susan Kutz
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - David S. Lee
- Department of Wildlife and Environment, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Stéphane Lair
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Mathieu Pruvot
- Wildlife Conservation Society Health Program, Bronx, NY, United States
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Justina C. Ray
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Donald Reid
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jonathan M. Sleeman
- United States Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Raphaela Stimmelmayr
- North Slope Department of Wildlife Management, Utqiagvik, AK, United States
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, United States
| | - Craig Stephen
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis
| | - Chris Walzer
- Wildlife Conservation Society Health Program, Bronx, NY, United States
- Conservation Medicine Unit, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Scaggs SA, Gerkey D, McLaughlin KR. Linking subsistence harvest diversity and productivity to adaptive capacity in an Alaskan food sharing network. Am J Hum Biol 2021; 33:e23573. [PMID: 33554415 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although anthropogenic climate change poses existential challenges for Indigenous communities in the Arctic, these challenges are not entirely unprecedented. Over many generations, Arctic peoples have developed a wide range of behavioral strategies to navigate environmental change and uncertainty, and these strategies provide a foundation for contemporary adaptation. AIMS In this article, we focus on mixed cash-subsistence economies and the social networks that underlie them in Alaska. The patterns of food production, labor exchange, and food sharing in subsistence-oriented communities throughout Alaska are driven by the productivity of keystone households who regularly harvest and share resources within and between communities. MATERIALS & METHODS Building on previous research suggesting the critical importance of these networks to community resilience, we use network analysis to investigate whether patterns in resource transfers between households are associated with subsistence harvest diversity-the diversity of species harvested by a household unit. We use exponential random graph models to describe the structure of a sharing network from Aniak, Alaska, and model the links between harvest productivity, harvest diversity, and household position in this network. RESULTS Our results indicate that both productivity and diversity are positively associated with network connections, and that productivity alone provides an incomplete model of network structure. DISCUSSION We suggest that subsistence harvest diversity may play a unique role in supporting adaptive capacity and resilience by maintaining the productivity of keystone households despite changing environments and sustaining social network structures that circulate resources throughout the community. Harvest diversity may also serve as a broad indicator of Indigenous ecological knowledge and a tangible representation of cultural practices, values, and worldviews that underlie subsistence in Alaska. CONCLUSION Greater attention to harvest diversity is important for understanding how subsistence networks adapt to environmental change and uncertainty linked to social and ecological dynamics of anthropogenic climate change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shane A Scaggs
- Department of Anthropology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Drew Gerkey
- Department of Anthropology, School of Language, Culture and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Being on Land and Sea in Troubled Times: Climate Change and Food Sovereignty in Nunavut. LAND 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/land9120508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Climate change driven food insecurity has emerged as a topic of special concern in the Canadian Arctic. Inuit communities in this region rely heavily on subsistence; however, access to traditional food sources may have been compromised due to climate change. Drawing from a total of 25 interviews among Inuit elders and experienced hunters from Cambridge Bay and Kugluktuk in Nunavut, Canada, this research examines how climate change is impacting food sovereignty and health. Our results show that reports of food insecurity were more pronounced in Kugluktuk than Cambridge Bay. Participants in Kugluktuk consistently noted declining availability of preferred fish and game species (e.g., caribou, Arctic char), a decline in participation of sharing networks, and overall increased difficulty accessing traditional foods. Respondents in both communities presented a consistent picture of climate change compounding existing socio-economic (e.g., poverty, disconnect between elders and youth) and health stressors affecting multiple aspects of food sovereignty. This article presents a situated understanding of how climate change as well as other sociocultural factors are eroding food sovereignty at the community-scale in the Arctic. We argue that a communal focus is required to address resilience and adaptation at the local level through programs that protect the local cultural knowledge, traditional ways of life, and indigenous sovereignty to reduce the severities of food insecurity in the Arctic stemming from climate change.
Collapse
|
16
|
Henri DA, Martinez-Levasseur LM, Weetaltuk S, Mallory ML, Gilchrist HG, Jean-Gagnon F. Inuit knowledge of Arctic Terns (Sterna paradisaea) and perspectives on declining abundance in southeastern Hudson Bay, Canada. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0242193. [PMID: 33201915 PMCID: PMC7671561 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea; takatakiaq in Inuttitut) breeds in the circumpolar Arctic and undertakes the longest known annual migration. In recent decades, Arctic Tern populations have been declining in some parts of their range, and this has been a cause of concern for both wildlife managers and Indigenous harvesters. However, limited scientific information is available on Arctic Tern abundance and distribution, especially within its breeding range in remote areas of the circumpolar Arctic. Knowledge held by Inuit harvesters engaged in Arctic Tern egg picking can shed light on the ecology, regional abundance and distribution of this marine bird. We conducted individual interviews and a workshop involving 12 Inuit harvesters and elders from Kuujjuaraapik, Nunavik (northern Québec), Canada, to gather their knowledge of Arctic Tern cultural importance, ecology, and stewardship. Interview contributors reported a regional decline in Arctic Tern numbers which appeared in the early 2000s on nesting islands near Kuujjuaraapik. Six possible factors were identified: (1) local harvest through egg picking; (2) nest disturbance and predation; (3) abandonment of tern nesting areas (i.e., islands that have become connected to the mainland due to isostatic rebound); (4) climate change; (5) natural abundance cycles within the Arctic Tern population; and (6) decline of the capelin (Mallotus villosus) in the region. Recommendations from Inuit contributors related to Arctic Tern stewardship and protection included: (1) conduct more research; (2) let nature take its course; (3) conduct an awareness campaign; (4) implement an egg picking ban; (5) coordinate local egg harvest; (6) start ‘tern farming’; (7) protect Arctic Terns across their migration route; and (8) harvest foxes predating on terns. Our study highlighted complementarities between Inuit knowledge and ecological science, and showed that Inuit harvesters can make substantial contributions to ongoing and future Arctic tern research and management initiatives.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominique A. Henri
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Salamiva Weetaltuk
- Local Nunavimmi Umajulivijiit Katujaqatigininga, Kuujjuaraapik, Québec, Canada
| | - Mark L. Mallory
- Biology Department, Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - H. Grant Gilchrist
- Wildlife Research Division, National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Ready E, Collings P. "All the problems in the community are multifaceted and related to each other": Inuit concerns in an era of climate change. Am J Hum Biol 2020; 33:e23516. [PMID: 33043559 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Human dimensions of climate change research in the Arctic often proposes ways for local communities to adapt to changes to their environment, foregrounding problems posed by climate change while treating social, political, and economic factors as background conditions. We explore the relevance of this research paradigm for Inuit by examining how Inuit from Kangiqsujuaq present and discuss the major issues facing their community. METHODS We thematically code and analyze the responses of 107 Inuit to three free-response questions about the problems facing their community and the best things about their community. The data were collected as part of a questionnaire for a project focused on food security and food sharing conducted in Kangiqsujuaq, Nunavik, in 2013 to 2014. RESULTS Few respondents mentioned issues relating to climate change among the most pressing problems faced by their community. Rather, a suite of interconnected social and economic issues, particularly substance abuse and the cost of living, emerged as the main concerns of Kangiqsujuarmiut. However, the environment was a central theme in respondents' favorite thing about their community. CONCLUSIONS In light of the concerns identified by Inuit, we argue that much research on climate change makes incorrect a priori assumptions and consequently fails to capture aspects of Arctic socioecological systems that are essential for how Inuit are responding to climate change. An inductive, open-ended approach can help produce research more relevant to communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elspeth Ready
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Peter Collings
- Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Ford JD, King N, Galappaththi EK, Pearce T, McDowell G, Harper SL. The Resilience of Indigenous Peoples to Environmental Change. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.oneear.2020.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
19
|
Galappaththi EK, Ford JD, Bennett EM, Berkes F. Climate change and community fisheries in the arctic: A case study from Pangnirtung, Canada. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2019; 250:109534. [PMID: 31526961 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Revised: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Coastal fishery systems in the Arctic are undergoing rapid change. This paper examines the ways in which Inuit fishers experience and respond to such change, using a case study from Pangnirtung, Canada. The work is based on over two years of fieldwork, during which semi-structured interviews (n = 62), focus group discussions (n = 6, 31 participants) and key informant interviews (n = 25) were conducted. The changes that most Inuit fishers experience are: changes in sea-ice conditions, Inuit people themselves, the landscape and the seascape, fish-related changes, and changes in weather conditions, markets and fish selling prices. Inuit fishers respond to change individually as well as collectively. Fishers' responses were examined using the characteristics of a resilience-based conceptual framework focusing on place, human agency, collective action and collaboration, institutions, indigenous and local knowledge systems, and learning. Based on results, this paper identified three community-level adaptive strategies, which are diversification, technology use and fisheries governance that employs a co-management approach. Further, this work recognised four place-specific attributes that can shape community adaptations, which are Inuit worldviews, Inuit-owned institutions, a culture of sharing and collaborating, and indigenous and local knowledge systems. An examination of the ways in which Inuit fishers experience and respond to change is essential to better understand adaptations to climate change. This study delivers new insights to communities, scientists, and policymakers to work together to foster community adaptation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - James D Ford
- Priestley International Centre for Climate, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Elena M Bennett
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Fikret Berkes
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Reframing food security by and for Native American communities: a case study among tribes in the Klamath River basin of Oregon and California. Food Secur 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s12571-019-00925-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
|
21
|
Strong ties, weak actors? Social networks and food security among farm workers in South Africa. Food Secur 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s12571-019-00902-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
|
22
|
Kenny TA, Fillion M, Simpkin S, Wesche SD, Chan HM. Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) and Inuit Nutrition Security in Canada. ECOHEALTH 2018; 15:590-607. [PMID: 30116999 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-018-1348-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Revised: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) has been fundamental to the diet and culture of Arctic Indigenous Peoples for thousands of years. Although caribou populations observe natural cycles of abundance and scarcity, several caribou herds across the Circumpolar North have experienced dramatic declines in recent decades due to a range of interrelated factors. Broadly, the objectives of this study are to examine food and nutrition security in relation to wildlife population and management status across Inuit Nunangat (the Inuit homeland, consisting of four regions across the Canadian Arctic). Specifically, we: (1) characterize the contribution of caribou to Inuit nutrition across northern Canada and (2) evaluate the population and management status of caribou herds/populations harvested by Inuit. Dietary data were derived from the 2007-2008 Inuit Health Survey, which included dietary information for Inuit adults (n = 2097) residing in thirty-six communities, spanning three regions (the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Nunavut, and Nunatsiavut) of the Canadian North. Published information regarding the range, abundance, status, and management status of caribou herds/populations was collected through document analysis and was validated through consultation with northern wildlife experts (territorial governments, co-management, and/or Inuit organizations). While caribou contributed modestly to total diet energy (3-11% of intake) across the regions, it was the primary source of iron (14-37%), zinc (18-41%), copper (12-39%), riboflavin (15-39%), and vitamin B12 (27-52%), as well as a top source of protein (13-35%). Restrictions on Inuit subsistence harvest (harvest quotas or bans) are currently enacted on at least six northern caribou herds/populations with potential consequences for country food access for over twenty-five Inuit communities across Canada. A holistic multi-sectorial approach is needed to ensure the sustainability of wildlife populations, while supporting Inuit food and nutrition security in the interim.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tiff-Annie Kenny
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie Curie, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada
| | | | - Sarah Simpkin
- Geographic, Statistical and Government Information Centre, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Sonia D Wesche
- Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Hing Man Chan
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie Curie, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Lee GO, Surkan PJ, Zelner J, Paredes Olórtegui M, Peñataro Yori P, Ambikapathi R, Caulfield LE, Gilman RH, Kosek MN. Social connectedness is associated with food security among peri-urban Peruvian Amazonian communities. SSM Popul Health 2018; 4:254-262. [PMID: 29854909 PMCID: PMC5976826 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2018.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2017] [Revised: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Food insecurity is a major global public health issue. Social capital has been identified as central to maintaining food security across a wide range of low- and middle-income country contexts, but few studies have examined this relationship through sociocentric network analysis. OBJECTIVE We investigated relationships between household- and community-level social connectedness, household food security, and household income; and tested the hypothesis that social connectedness modified the relationship between income and food security. METHODS A cross-sectional census with an embedded questionnaire to capture social relationships was conducted among eleven peri-urban communities. Community connectedness was related to study outcomes of food security and per-capita income through regression models. RESULTS Of 1520 households identified, 1383 were interviewed (91.0%) and 1272 (83.9%) provided complete data. Households in the youngest communities had the most total contacts, and the highest proportion of contacts outside of the community. Household income was also associated with more outside-community contacts (0.05 more contacts per standard deviation increase in income, p<0.001).Less food secure households reported more contacts nearby (0.24 increase in household food insecurity access scale (HFIAS) for each additional contact, p<0.001). After adjusting for household-level socioeconomic status, membership in an older, larger, and better-connected community, with a greater proportion of residents engaged in rural livelihood strategies, was associated with greater food security (-0.92 decrease in HFIAS for each one-unit increase in community mean degree, p=0.008). There was no evidence that social connectedness modified the relationship between income and food security such that lower-income households benefited more from community membership than higher-income households. CONCLUSIONS Although households reported networks that spanned rural villages and urban centers, contacts within the community, with whom food was regularly shared, were most important to maintaining food security. Interventions that build within-community connectedness in peri-urban settings may increase food security.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gwenyth O. Lee
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, M5071 SPH II, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, USA
| | - Pamela J. Surkan
- Department of International Health, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jon Zelner
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, M5071 SPH II, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, USA
| | | | - Pablo Peñataro Yori
- Department of International Health, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ramya Ambikapathi
- Department of Global and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Laura E. Caulfield
- Department of International Health, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Robert H. Gilman
- Department of International Health, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Margaret N. Kosek
- Department of International Health, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Abstract
Social institutions that facilitate sharing and redistribution may help mitigate the impact of resource shocks. In the North American Arctic, traditional food sharing may direct food to those who need it and provide a form of natural insurance against temporal variability in hunting returns within households. Here, network properties that facilitate resource flow (network size, quality, and density) are examined in a country food sharing network comprising 109 Inuit households from a village in Nunavik (Canada), using regressions to investigate the relationships between these network measures and household socioeconomic attributes. The results show that although single women and elders have larger networks, the sharing network is not structured to prioritize sharing towards households with low food availability. Rather, much food sharing appears to be driven by reciprocity between high-harvest households, meaning that poor, low-harvest households tend to have less sharing-based social capital than more affluent, high-harvest households. This suggests that poor, low-harvest households may be more vulnerable to disruptions in the availability of country food.
Collapse
|