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Infectious diseases in Greenlanders of Upernavik

P Bjerregaard

    Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care
    |September 1, 1985
    PubMed

    Insights

    Infectious diseases, particularly respiratory and skin infections, were common among Upernavik residents, leading to frequent medical contacts. These rates exceeded Danish general practice, highlighting a significant public health concern in Greenland.

    Area of Science:

    • Epidemiology
    • Public Health
    • Infectious Diseases

    Background:

    • Understanding the burden of infectious diseases is crucial for public health planning in remote communities.
    • Previous data on disease patterns and healthcare utilization in Greenlandic populations is limited.
    • Upernavik, a town in Greenland, provides a unique setting to study infectious disease epidemiology.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To document the types and frequency of infectious diseases encountered by medical officers in Upernavik.
    • To analyze the patterns of healthcare-seeking behavior related to infectious diseases.
    • To compare the incidence of infectious diseases in Upernavik with Danish general practice.

    Main Methods:

    • A one-year prospective study (1979-80) recording all medical contacts.
    • Inclusion of all 836 inhabitants of Upernavik, with a focus on 737 native Greenlanders.
    • Categorization of contacts by disease type, including respiratory, skin, and sexually transmitted infections.

    Main Results:

    • Infectious diseases accounted for 41% of 1006 medical contacts among native Greenlanders, representing 705 disease episodes.
    • Acute upper respiratory tract infections (26%) and non-traumatic skin infections (24%) were the most common.
    • Infectious disease contact rates were higher than in Danish general practice, with notable increases in chronic respiratory, skin, and sexually transmitted diseases.

    Conclusions:

    • Infectious diseases represent a significant health issue in Upernavik, requiring substantial medical resources.
    • Specific infection types, such as skin and respiratory infections, show seasonal patterns.
    • The findings underscore the need for targeted public health interventions in Greenlandic communities.

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