Grant: Project Grant

Our project begins with a question "Qanuikkat Siqinirmiut?" or "How are the people in the south?" The number of Inuit living in southern cities is increasing rapidly, with just over 27% (17,695) now living outside the traditional territories of Inuit Nunangat. In contrast to those in the north, very little is known about the health of Inuit in the south. It is clear that Inuit in the north and the south experience significant health disparities when compared to the majority population. In southern Quebec the development of services for health promotion, prevention, and the treatment of illness is limited by a near complete absence of data on the health of the population. This project is intended to build a knowledge base on the health and wellbeing of Inuit in the south through the development and implementation of a population health survey. The project is uses a culturally-adapted Community-Based Participatory Research research strategy to , A collaboration between the Southern Quebec Inuit Association and a group of university-based researchers, the team includes researchers, community members, service providers, students, and political and social organizations who are poised to act on the findings of the research. Qualitative interviews, ethnographic and participatory visual research techniques will bring context and depth to the understanding of Inuit health and wellbeing. The survey tools used in from other studies of Inuit health will be adapted and expanded with the results of the qualitative methods in order to reflect the realities of those in the south. Additional Scientific outcomes include a better understanding of urban Inuit health and its relationship to northern health issues. Our goals are to develop an understanding of community health and wellbeing that is based in Inuit experience order to build capacity to address health disparities and community need.