Health service use in indigenous Sami and non-indigenous youth in North Norway: a population based survey

• Published in: BMC Public Health
• Main Authors: Turi, Anne Lene, Bals, Margrethe, Skre, Ingunn B., Kvernmo, Siv
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: sami; indigenous; youth; health service use; samer; urfolk; ungdom; helsetjeneste; bruk; Arctic; Norway; Nord-Norge; North Norway; samisk
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11250/2444931; https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-9-378

Artikkel som omhandler bruk av helsetjenester blant samisk og ikke-samisk ungdom i Nord-Norge. Background: this is the first population based study exploring health service use and ethnocultural factors in indigenous Sami and non-Sami youth in North Norway. The first aim of the present study was to compare the frequency of health service use between Sami adolescents and their non-indigenous peers. The second aim was to explore the relationships between health service use and ethno-cultural factors, such as ethnic context, Sami self-identification, perceived discrimination and Sami language competence. Finally, we wanted to explore the relationship between use of health services and emotional and behavioural problems. Method: the Norwegian Arctic Adolescent Health Study was conducted among 10th graders (15-16 years old) in junior high schools in North Norway. The sample consisted of 4,449 adolescents, of whom 450 (10.1%) were indigenous Sami and 3,999 (89.9%) were non-Sami. Results: Sami and non-Sami youth used all health services with equal frequency. However, several ethno-cultural factors were found to influence health service use. Sami youth in more assimilated ethnic contexts used general practitioners more than non-Sami youth. Youth with Sami selfidentification had a higher probability of using the school health service compared with other youth. Ethnic barriers to health service use were also identified. Sami speaking youth with a high degree of perceived discrimination had lower probability of using school health services than non-Sami speaking youth. Sami youth with conduct problems were less likely than non-Sami to use psychologist/psychiatrist. The present study demonstrated a relationship between health need and actual health service use. Conclusion: culture-specific factors influenced the help-seeking process in indigenous youth; some factors acted as barriers against health service use and other factors increased the probability of health service use. Center for Sami Health Research, UiT; The ...