Awareness and perceptions of contaminants in the Dehcho and Sahtú Regions of the Northwest Territories
The development and dissemination of health messaging is a critical component of reducing health disparities. Participants (n = 87) from a human biomonitoring study in six Dene communities responded to a survey about health communication regarding contaminants. The survey included questions on aware...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2024-12-01
|
| Series: | International Journal of Circumpolar Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22423982.2024.2387381 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1846149202710626304 |
|---|---|
| author | Kelly Skinner Mylene Ratelle Danielle Brandow Christopher Furgal Amanda Boyd Brian Laird |
| author_facet | Kelly Skinner Mylene Ratelle Danielle Brandow Christopher Furgal Amanda Boyd Brian Laird |
| author_sort | Kelly Skinner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The development and dissemination of health messaging is a critical component of reducing health disparities. Participants (n = 87) from a human biomonitoring study in six Dene communities responded to a survey about health communication regarding contaminants. The survey included questions on awareness of health messages and risk perceptions related to country foods and contaminants. The vast majority of participants reported eating country foods (99%) and heard that country foods had beneficial nutrients (90%). Seventy per cent of respondents had heard or seen messages about fish with high levels of mercury, and 60% had concerns about the safety or quality of country foods they consumed. Respondents who reported decreasing the number of fish they ate since hearing the messages about fish and mercury had lower (p = 0.04) mercury concentration in hair, compared to those who had not heard the messages. However, no differences in hair mercury were observed for respondents who reported to have changed their fishing location, chosen smaller fish or eaten less predatory fish since hearing the messages. Results indicate the need to examine reasons for self-reported behaviour changes, in addition to awareness. The conclusions of this study can inform the development of messaging and risk management decisions about contaminants within Indigenous populations. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-db8318e43c3a4e93a80a912ab1c1c29d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2242-3982 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Circumpolar Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-db8318e43c3a4e93a80a912ab1c1c29d2024-11-29T19:53:25ZengTaylor & Francis GroupInternational Journal of Circumpolar Health2242-39822024-12-0183110.1080/22423982.2024.2387381Awareness and perceptions of contaminants in the Dehcho and Sahtú Regions of the Northwest TerritoriesKelly Skinner0Mylene Ratelle1Danielle Brandow2Christopher Furgal3Amanda Boyd4Brian Laird5School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, CanadaSchool of Public Health, University of Montreal, Montreal, CanadaSchool of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, CanadaIndigenous Environmental Studies and Sciences, Trent University, Peterborough, CanadaInstitute for Research and Education to Advance Community Health, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Seattle, USASchool of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, CanadaThe development and dissemination of health messaging is a critical component of reducing health disparities. Participants (n = 87) from a human biomonitoring study in six Dene communities responded to a survey about health communication regarding contaminants. The survey included questions on awareness of health messages and risk perceptions related to country foods and contaminants. The vast majority of participants reported eating country foods (99%) and heard that country foods had beneficial nutrients (90%). Seventy per cent of respondents had heard or seen messages about fish with high levels of mercury, and 60% had concerns about the safety or quality of country foods they consumed. Respondents who reported decreasing the number of fish they ate since hearing the messages about fish and mercury had lower (p = 0.04) mercury concentration in hair, compared to those who had not heard the messages. However, no differences in hair mercury were observed for respondents who reported to have changed their fishing location, chosen smaller fish or eaten less predatory fish since hearing the messages. Results indicate the need to examine reasons for self-reported behaviour changes, in addition to awareness. The conclusions of this study can inform the development of messaging and risk management decisions about contaminants within Indigenous populations.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22423982.2024.2387381Contaminantsenvironmental healthrisk communicationIndigenousFirst Nationscountry foods |
| spellingShingle | Kelly Skinner Mylene Ratelle Danielle Brandow Christopher Furgal Amanda Boyd Brian Laird Awareness and perceptions of contaminants in the Dehcho and Sahtú Regions of the Northwest Territories International Journal of Circumpolar Health Contaminants environmental health risk communication Indigenous First Nations country foods |
| title | Awareness and perceptions of contaminants in the Dehcho and Sahtú Regions of the Northwest Territories |
| title_full | Awareness and perceptions of contaminants in the Dehcho and Sahtú Regions of the Northwest Territories |
| title_fullStr | Awareness and perceptions of contaminants in the Dehcho and Sahtú Regions of the Northwest Territories |
| title_full_unstemmed | Awareness and perceptions of contaminants in the Dehcho and Sahtú Regions of the Northwest Territories |
| title_short | Awareness and perceptions of contaminants in the Dehcho and Sahtú Regions of the Northwest Territories |
| title_sort | awareness and perceptions of contaminants in the dehcho and sahtu regions of the northwest territories |
| topic | Contaminants environmental health risk communication Indigenous First Nations country foods |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22423982.2024.2387381 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kellyskinner awarenessandperceptionsofcontaminantsinthedehchoandsahturegionsofthenorthwestterritories AT myleneratelle awarenessandperceptionsofcontaminantsinthedehchoandsahturegionsofthenorthwestterritories AT daniellebrandow awarenessandperceptionsofcontaminantsinthedehchoandsahturegionsofthenorthwestterritories AT christopherfurgal awarenessandperceptionsofcontaminantsinthedehchoandsahturegionsofthenorthwestterritories AT amandaboyd awarenessandperceptionsofcontaminantsinthedehchoandsahturegionsofthenorthwestterritories AT brianlaird awarenessandperceptionsofcontaminantsinthedehchoandsahturegionsofthenorthwestterritories |