Harper, SL, Edge, VL, Ford, J orcid.org/0000-0002-2066-3456 et al. (6 more authors) (2015) Healthcare use for acute gastrointestinal illness in two Inuit communities: Rigolet and Iqaluit, Canada. International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 74 (1). 26290. ISSN 1239-9736
Abstract
Background. The incidence of self-reported acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) in Rigolet, Nunatsiavut, and Iqaluit, Nunavut, is higher than reported elsewhere in Canada; as such, understanding AGI-related healthcare use is important for healthcare provision, public health practice and surveillance of AGI. Objectives: This study described symptoms, severity and duration of self-reported AGI in the general population and examined the incidence and factors associated with healthcare utilization for AGI in these 2 Inuit communities. Design: Cross-sectional survey data were analysed using multivariable exact logistic regression to examine factors associated with individuals’ self-reported healthcare and over-the-counter (OTC) medication utilization related to AGI symptoms. Results: In Rigolet, few AGI cases used healthcare services [4.8% (95% CI=1.5-14.4%)]; in Iqaluit, some cases used healthcare services [16.9% (95% CI=11.2-24.7%)]. Missing traditional activities due to AGI (OR=3.8; 95% CI=1.18-12.4) and taking OTC medication for AGI symptoms (OR=3.8; 95% CI=1.2-15.1) were associated with increased odds of using healthcare services in Iqaluit. In both communities, AGI severity and secondary symptoms (extreme tiredness, headache, muscle pains, chills) were significantly associated with increased odds of taking OTC medication. Conclusions: While rates of self-reported AGI were higher in Inuit communities compared to non-Inuit communities in Canada, there were lower rates of AGI-related healthcare use in Inuit communities compared to other regions in Canada. As such, the rates of healthcare use for a given disease can differ between Inuit and non-Inuit communities, and caution should be exercised in making comparisons between Inuit and non-Inuit health outcomes based solely on clinic records and healthcare use.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Authors/Creators: |
|
Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2015 Sherilee L. Harper et al. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), allowing third parties to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format and to remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially, provided the original work is properly cited and states its license. |
Keywords: | Aboriginal health; Indigenous health; Inuit health; gastrointestinal illness; healthcare utilization; Nunatsiavut; Nunavut |
Dates: |
|
Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Earth and Environment (Leeds) > Sustainability Research Institute (SRI) (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 12 Apr 2018 13:42 |
Last Modified: | 12 Apr 2018 13:42 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Taylor & Francis Open |
Identification Number: | 10.3402/ijch.v74.26290 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:122991 |