Questions

Question 1

Although public health in the Arctic is much improved in the last 50 years, life expectancy and infant mortality rates were particularly high in recent years among the indigenous inhabitants of the Arctic in the Arctic, the United States, Northern Canada, Greenland and Russia in the Arctic, residents of the Nordic countries. The rapid pace of change in the Arctic also poses new challenges for the health and well-being of Arctic residents. For example, in many Arctic regions, living conditions continue to change as the economy changes from one based on hunting and gathering subsistence to a cash basis. Through the circumpolar North increased activity in the direction of sustainable development through the development of local resources and expanding participation in the global economy. These changes had a positive impact on physical health of Arctic residents, including conditions of home improvement, a more stable food supply, greater access to Western goods and a decrease in morbidity and mortality of infectious diseases. However, these changes in lifestyle have led to an increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, obesity and cardiovascular disease. In addition, increasing the level of child abuse, alcohol abuse, drug addiction, domestic violence, suicides and unintentional injuries are also associated with rapid cultural change, loss of cultural identity and low self-esteem in these populations.

Likewise, economic globalization in the Arctic has been accompanied by improvements in transport infrastructure in the Arctic. Many communities that were once isolated are related to major cities by air. Consequently, these communities are vulnerable to many infectious diseases (influenza, SARS, such as infectious diseases, antibiotic-resistant pathogens, such as drug-resistant tuberculosis) are more common in densely populated urban centers. Environmental pollutants are the cause of health problems worldwide. Pollutants such as mercury and other heavy metals, PCBs, DDT, dioxins and other organochlorines originate mainly from the mid-latitude agricultural and industrial areas in the world, but to get to the arctic air across the river and sea transport, where they are concentrated. His subsequent biomagnification in Arctic food chains and their appearance on the natural food of great interest to indigenous peoples and other Arctic residents, who depend on these products. The possible impact on human health includes damage of the endocrine and immune systems in adults and children and for children's brain development in children.

Further studies are needed to determine the level and impact on human health of these pollutants in the Arctic residents, especially young ones, and provide guidance on the risks and benefits of traditional foods that may contain these contaminants. Climate change is already affecting many rural communities in the Arctic, and with it economic and health threats and opportunities. The effects of climatic change on the health of Arctic residents may vary depending on factors such as age, socioeconomic, lifestyle, culture, places, and building health systems, taking into account the local infrastructure. It is likely that the most vulnerable are those living near the ground in remote areas, are already facing health related changes.

Arctic environmental pollution ...