Working in arctic and sub-arctic conditions: mental health issues

As Canada expands its activities in the North, it becomes necessary to understand the mental, emotional and health consequences of working in harsh, isolated environments. This paper reviews the pertinent literature and reports on a study, commissioned by Environment Canada, of the working conditions of meterological technicians in 33 isolated stations who were surveyed by questionnaire. Numerous personal interviews and visits to five Arctic stations were also carried out. GHQ scores of psychological distress were significantly higher than in a Saskatchewan community sample but not higher than in male air transport shift workers in Ontario. Sleep disturbances and anergia were the two most prominent symptoms in our sample. The literature also stressed these symptoms as well as alcoholism and a number of curious cognitive phenomena. The importance and problems of group functioning are stressed. Our subjects showed fewer problems than the literature would have predicted, but it is generally agreed that there are few, if any, irreversible sequela of life in the North.