Specific environmental health concerns and medical challenges in Аrctic and Sub-Аrctic regions

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613.1, 574.24
DOI: 
10.21668/health.risk/2022.3.02.eng
Authors: 

J. Reis1, N.V. Zaitseva2, P. Spencer1

Organization: 

1RISE, Specialized Group on Environment and Health, Strasbourg, France
2Federal Scientific Center for Medical and Preventive Health Risk Management Technologies, 82 Monastyrskaya Str., Perm, 614045, Russian Federation

Abstract: 

This systematic review surveys the results of studies that address the manifold influences of climate change on the health of populations in the Arctic and Sub-Arctic regions. The review includes papers available in PubMed (maintained by The United States National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health), Scopus (the largest abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature), WoS (the abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature) and BVS (Virtual Health Library) that were published between 1960 to 2021.
The review covers pressing environmental, sanitary-hygienic and social issues and identifies priority risk factors for human health and that of wildlife. Global pollution and communicable diseases are shown to pose threats for indigenous people living in the Arctic. These threats are likely to be greater than those faced by populations living elsewhere in the world.

We conclude that because climate is changing faster in the Arctic than anywhere else on the planet, there is an urgent need to address the issue. Global pollution and communicable diseases pose threats to public health, including the health of indigenous people living in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. It is necessary to intensify cooperation among different states to reduce external influences on the Arctic environment and to prioritize public health.

Keywords: 
Arctic and Sub-Arctic regions, global climate change, public health, risk factors, sanitary-epidemiological situation, ecological situation, local and imported threats, health losses
Reis J., Zaitseva N.V., Spencer P. Specific environmental health concerns and medical challenges in Аrctic and Sub-Аrctic regions. Health Risk Analysis, 2022, no. 3, pp. 21–38. DOI: 10.21668/health.risk/2022.3.02.eng
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Received: 
17.07.2022
Approved: 
25.09.2022
Accepted for publication: 
27.09.2022

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