Inuit Women's Conceptualizations of, and approaches to, health in a changing climate

• Main Authors: Jasiuk, Linnaea, Pearce, T, Bradshaw, B
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: ArcticNet Inc. 2016
• Subjects: FoR 0502 (Environmental Science and Management); Arctic; Ulukhaktok; ArcticNet; Climate change; inuit
• Online Access: http://www.arcticnetmeetings.ca/asm2016/docs/abstracts.pdf

This research examined Inuit women’s conceptualizations of, and approaches to, health in the context of adaptation to a changing climate through a case study of Ulukhaktok, NT. Climate change has been identified as possibly the biggest health threat of the 21st century and Inuit are believed to be a high-risk population. In order to support adaptation, decision makers must first understand what health means to Inuit, what health concerns are relevant and important, beyond those selected a priori by health professionals and what adaptation strategies are both feasible and desirable for Inuit themselves. Further, it has been recognized that the health effects of climate change are differentiated by gender; specifically men and women experience different vulnerabilities and are equipped with different adaptive capacities. Data were collected through participant observation, semi-structured interviews with 29 Inuit women, free listing and line drawing. Findings indicate that Inuit women in Ulukhaktok retain a traditional conceptualization of health that is holistic in nature with attention to the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual parts of the self and which prioritizes relationships among family and the environment. Findings also indicate that Inuit women’s approach to health includes both traditional practices as well as the formal healthcare system but that the use of these two systems is highly dichotomized. Inuit women’s preventative health behaviours and mental and emotional supports are founded in traditional practices, while the formal health system is used predominantly in a reactive fashion to treat the physical symptoms of developed health conditions. This research contributes to our understanding of Inuit women’s conceptualizations of, and approaches to, health and identifies strategic health policy entry points to enhance Inuit women’s health under changing climatic conditions. This research is part of ArcticNet Project 1.1 Community Vulnerability, Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change in the Arctic and CIHR funded project IK-ADAPT