Pages 102-111 in P. Bjerregaard et al., eds. Part I, Proceedings of the 11th International Congress on Circumpolar Health, Harstad, Norway, June 5-9, 2000. International Journal of Circumpolar Health. 2001;60(2)
National Institute of Public Health, Section for Research in Greenland, Copenhagen. p.bjerregaard@dadlnet.dk
Source
Pages 102-111 in P. Bjerregaard et al., eds. Part I, Proceedings of the 11th International Congress on Circumpolar Health, Harstad, Norway, June 5-9, 2000. International Journal of Circumpolar Health. 2001;60(2)
The colonization of the circumpolar peoples has had a profound influence on their health. History tells about devastating epidemics and the introduction of alcohol. The last 50 years have witnessed an unprecedented societal development in Greenland and a rapid epidemiological transition. Physical health and survival have improved but at the expense of mental health. The incidence of tuberculosis and the infant mortality rate have decreased because of improved socioeconomic conditions and health care. Mental health has deteriorated parallel to the rapid modernization of Greenlandic society. Chronic diseases are on the increase due to changing life styles, and environmental pollution with mercury and persistent organic pollutants may pose a threat to future generations of Inuit.