Gonorrhoea in Greenland, incidence and previous preventive measures: a review to improve future strategies

Gonorrhoea continues to be a significant health challenge in Greenland. The aim of this study was to describe the development of gonorrhoea in Greenland through time including incidence rates and previous measures taken to address the challenge. A systematic literature search in PubMed, Embase and T...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International Journal of Circumpolar Health
Main Authors: Sine Berntsen, Anders Peder Højer Karlsen, Michael Lynge Pedersen, Gert Mulvad
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2017
Subjects:
Gonorrhoea
STI
STD
Greenland
Indigenous
peer-to-peer
story telling
sexual health
primary prevention
sexual education
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine
RC955-962
Arctic
Nuuk
Circumpolar Health
greenlandic
International Journal of Circumpolar Health
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2017.1350092
https://doaj.org/article/24433cede06641caa8cda48c95776758
Description
Summary:Gonorrhoea continues to be a significant health challenge in Greenland. The aim of this study was to describe the development of gonorrhoea in Greenland through time including incidence rates and previous measures taken to address the challenge. A systematic literature search in PubMed, Embase and The Cochrane Library was conducted. Furthermore, local archives were searched in the Health Clinic in Nuuk for relevant literature. From the 1940s the incidence of gonorrhoea increased steadily with a steep incline around 1970, possibly as a consequence of changes in living conditions and urbanisation. Significant declines in the incidence were seen the late 1970s and again in the late 1980s, most likely in the wake of an outbreak of ulcus molle/chancroid in the 1970s and as a result of focused education in venereology for Greenlandic nurses in the late 1980s combined with the stop-AIDS campaign. Since the early 1990s the incidence of gonorrhoea in Greenland has not risen to previously high levels. However, the incidence remains high and with a gradually increasing trend. Prevention intervention strategies such as peer-to-peer sexual education, storytelling and involvement of parent/guardian in sexual education of the youth could be appropriate approaches to improve sexual health in Greenland.

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