How did Nunavummiut youth cope during the COVID-19 pandemic? A qualitative exploration of the resilience of Inuit youth leaders involved in the I-SPARX project

This study investigated how COVID-19 has affected the wellness of a group of Inuit youth leaders in Nunavut in the context of their involvement with an ongoing mental health research initiative, the Making I-SPARX Fly in Nunavut [I-SPARX] project. The study had three goals: (1) to understand how the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International Journal of Circumpolar Health
Main Authors: Alaina Thomas, Yvonne Bohr, Jeffrey Hankey, Megis Oskalns, Jenna Barnhardt, Chelsea Singoorie
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2022
Subjects:
Inuit resilience
pandemic resilience
Nunavut
Indigenous mental health
Indigenous communities
youth
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine
RC955-962
Arctic
Circumpolar Health
International Journal of Circumpolar Health
inuit
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2022.2043577
https://doaj.org/article/3f2f454af7c84bddbee5416880b294d7
Description
Summary:This study investigated how COVID-19 has affected the wellness of a group of Inuit youth leaders in Nunavut in the context of their involvement with an ongoing mental health research initiative, the Making I-SPARX Fly in Nunavut [I-SPARX] project. The study had three goals: (1) to understand how the pandemic has affected I-SPARX leaders’ perceived involvement in the I-SPARX Project; (2) to build knowledge around how the pandemic has impacted the daily life and wellbeing of youth in Nunavummiut communities; and (3) to acquire a culturally specific understanding of their coping mechanisms and resilience strategies through the lens of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ). Nine Inuit youth were interviewed virtually about their participation in I-SPARX, their life during the pandemic, and their coping strategies. Their comments were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Pandemic challenges, the utility of I-SPARX teachings and participation, and culturally and community-embedded pathways to resilience were discussed.The implications of COVID-19 on Inuit youth in remote communities are not fully understood. The current study illuminates their experiences of the pandemic to inform future research on ways in which Inuit youth might be supported in situations, such as a global pandemic, that restrict their traditional resilience-enhancing activities and create social isolation.

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