title: Health consumption in Sami speaking municipalities and a control group with regard to medical imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Northern Norway Regional Health Authority trust aims to offer a high quality specialist health care to all inhabitants. The objective of this study was to document the consumption of medical imaging [conventional radiography (CR), computerised tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MR), ultrasound (US)].
  
  
  METHODS
  The eight municipalities in northern Norway included in the administration area of the Sami language law (Sami group - 132,490 persons/year in the period 2003-2009, mean/year 19,363 inhabitants) were matched with a control group of 11 municipalities (non-Sami group - 135,539 persons/year, mean/year 18,927 inhabitants). Population data was accessed from Statistics Norway. Data on imaging exams were derived from a regional database including production data from all public and private institutions within the region. All four main modality groups (CR, CT, MR, US) were analysed. Variations for imaging frequency on each modality were compared between the Sami and non-Sami municipalities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 278,832 exams were performed during study period. The age adjusted exam rate (all modalities) was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in non-Sami (females and males) group. There was no difference with regard to conventional radiography (CR) (p = 0.855). Whereas MR (p < 0.001) imaging was more common in the Sami group, CT (p < 0.001) and US (p = 0.003) exams were more frequently used in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  People living in Sami speaking communities experienced significantly less CT and US exams, but had more MR exams than the control group. A relatively high physical activity, obesity and a lower risk of cancer may be explanations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Størmer
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Norum
authors.forename: Lena Ringstad
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.forename: Petter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Eldevik
authors.forename: Ann Ragnhild
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Broderstad
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002947:Cities; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D044382:Population Groups; D055815:Young Adult