Living conditions and mental wellness in a changing climate and environment:focus on community voices and perceived environmental and adaptation factors in Greenland

• Main Authors: Timlin, U. (Ulla), Ingimundarson, J. H. (Jón Haukur), Jungsberg, L. (Leneisja), Kauppila, S. (Sofia), Larsen, J. N. (Joan Nymand), Nordström, T. (Tanja), Scheer, J. (Johanna), Schweitzer, P. (Peter), Rautio, A. (Arja)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2021
• Subjects: Arctic; Climate change; Indigenous people; Mental wellness; Permafrost thaw; Quality of life; Satisfaction with life; Well-being; Greenland; Disko Bay; permafrost
• Online Access: http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi-fe2021070641182

Abstract Background: Climate change is a major global challenge, especially for Indigenous communities. It can have extensive impacts on peoples’ lives that may occur through the living environment, health and mental well-being, and which are requiring constant adaptation. Objectives: The overall purpose of this research was to evaluate the impacts of climate change and permafrost thaw on mental wellness in Disko Bay, Greenland. It contained two parts: multidisciplinary fieldwork and a questionnaire survey. The aim of the fieldwork was to learn about life and living conditions and to understand what it is like to live in a community that faces impacts of climate change and permafrost thaw. For the questionnaire the aim was to find out which perceived environmental and adaptation factors relate to very good self-rated well-being, quality of life and satisfaction with life. Analysis: Fieldwork data was analyzed by following a thematic analysis, and questionnaire data statistically by cross-tabulation. First, the associations between perceived environmental and adaptation factors were studied either by the Pearson χ² test or by Fisher’s exact test. Second, binary logistic regression analysis was applied to examine more in depth the associations between perceived environmental/adaptation variables and self-rated very good well-being, satisfaction with life and quality of life. The binary logistic regression analysis was conducted in two phases: as univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Nature and different activities in nature were found to be important to local people, and results suggest that they increase mental wellness, specifically well-being and satisfaction with life. Challenges associated with permafrost thaw, such as changes in the physical environment, infrastructure and impacts on culture were recognized in everyday life. Conclusions: The results offer relevant information for further plans and actions in this field of research and at the policy level. Our study shows the importance of ...