title: Inuit health in Greenland: a population survey of life style and disease in Greenland and among Inuit living in Denmark.
abstract: During 1997-2001 a population survey was carried out amongst Greenland Inuit living in Denmark and West Greenland (Nuuk, Sisimiut, Qasigiannguit and four villages in Uummannaq municipality). Data collection comprised an interview, a questionnaire, clinical examinations and sampling of biological specimens (blood, urine, subcutaneous fat tissue). The clinical examinations included anthropometric measurements, an oral glucose tolerance test, ECG, ultrasound of thyroid gland and carotid arteries, a skin prick test, and lung function. The data collection areas in Greenland ranged from the westernized capital of Nuuk (pop. app. 13,000) to small fishing and hunting villages (pop. app. 250). A total of 4,162 persons aged 18+ participated in the study; clinical examinations were performed on 2,056 of these, 739 from Denmark and 1317 from Greenland. Some of the above mentioned procedures were performed on a subset of the participants. The participation rate was 62%. We provide an overview of the background of the study and a detailed description of the methods employed for the data collection. A set of standard tables are provided for the indigenous population of Greenland. These cover statistics for selected variables by gender and ten-year age groups.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bjerregaard
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Curtis
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Borch-Johnsen
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mulvad
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Backer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000886:Anthropometry; D044466:Asian People; D003081:Cold Climate; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004194:Disease / Q000208:ethnology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006116:Greenland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D004930:Inuit / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008019:Life Style / Q000208:ethnology*; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires