The Inuit Health Survey: Health in Transition and Resiliency

The Inuit Health Survey during International Polar Year 2007 and 2008 for adults was developed since populations in the circumpolar region have begun to experience the emergence of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity and the metabolic syndrome which have occurred in other populations undergoing rapid social, cultural and economic transition. The specific objectives of the Adult Health Survey are to assess dietary habits and nutrient status relevant to reproductive health and the emergence of chronic diseases, to determine the prevalence and risk factors for cardiovascular disease and type 2 DM in Inuit undergoing acculturation, to evaluate social support and other determinants of resiliency and self-reported health and mental health, to evaluate environmental exposures (contaminants, bacterial infection and zoonosis), and to utilize the cross-sectional health survey and the long-term follow-up data (cohort) to help prevent the emergence of chronic diseases among Inuit. The results will help design and evaluate Inuit specific interventions.