NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Gwich'in Settlement Area

Tags: contaminants, health, traditional food, food security, market food

Objective(s): To determine the current concentrations of contaminants and nutrients in Inuvialuit country foods; and to develop a health communication and risk perception survey tailored for the Inuvialuit Settlement Region – the ISR Health Messages Survey.

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No.4532. The short-term objectives of this study are to: 1) determine the current concentrations of contaminants and nutrients in Inuvialuit country foods; and 2) develop a health communication and risk perception survey tailored for the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) – the ISR Health Messages Survey. In the long-term, this research will foster linkages between biological monitoring programs and human health research studies to support regional and territorial human health risk assessments and messaging initiatives, including the Inuit Health Survey. Food Sampling: 1. Sample lists for country foods and market foods will be developed in January 2020 through focus groups held with community members in Paulatuk and Tuktoyaktuk and meetings with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC), Paulatuk and Tuktoyaktuk Hunters and Trappers Committees (HTC’s) and Paulatuk and Tuktoyaktuk Community Corporations (CC). 2. Research assistants will assist S. Ostertag with setting up community sampling workshops, hosting public meetings and training harvesters on sample collection in 2020. 3. Community workshops will be in each community in January 2020 and co-led by S. Ostertag and a community expert. The goal is to engage youth, harvesters and Elders in food preparation and sample collection to increase capacity and support food security. 4. Samples of country foods will be collected in communities between January and March 2020 by harvesters and/or their family members - local research assistants will be available to help. The foods will be prepared by the families/harvesters and a fist-size portion of each part of the animal (if applicable) will be taken and placed in a sample bag - samples of fresh (uncooked) tissue will be collected from the same animal. This will let the team to learn about how cooking, drying or ageing the food changes it. Details about the animal will be recorded including the location of harvest, animal size/sex and use of lead shot (for birds). Food Analysis: 1.All fresh/frozen sample replicates (n = 3-10) will be analyzed for total mercury, methylmercury, cadmium, lead, selenium, zinc, PUFAs and vitamin D. 2. A subset of samples (e.g., fresh/frozen muscle and fat/maktak from marine mammals; muscle of predatory fish) will be analyzed in 2020/2021. 3. Samples will be archived for future analyses for contaminants and additional nutrients (year 2 or 3 of project). 4. Contaminant and nutrient levels for store-bought foods will be obtained from Health Canada. 5. Two veterinarians (Drs. Jenkins and Kutz) will test food and blood samples for pathogens. 6. Research results will be reviewed with Government of the Northwest Territories, Health and Social Services, IRC, Joint Secretariat (JS), HTCs and Community Corporations for interpretation prior to final reporting. Health Messages Survey: 1. Key-informant interviews will be conducted in 2020 with representatives from the IRC, JS, GNWT Health and Social Services, Paulatuk and Tuktoyaktuk HTCs and Community Corporations. These interviews will provide information about what topics should be covered by the ISR Health Messages Survey. Additional interviews may be conducted with Board Directors from additional communities pending funding. 2. The draft ISR Health Messages Survey will be prepared based on the outcomes from interviews. The draft survey will be reviewed with local and regional boards in spring 2020. 3. The survey will be piloted in Tuktoyaktuk and Paulatuk in January 2021 to receive feedback on language and content. Project updates were sent to the Paulatuk and Tuktoyaktuk HTCs and CCs in January and April 2019. The Paulatuk HTC requested an in-person meeting prior to commencement of project. A project update was provided to the Inuvialuit Game Council in October 2019. Conference calls with Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, JS, GNWT HSS, PHTC, PCC, Tuktoyaktuk HTC and Tuktoyaktuk CC will take place in fall 2019 to finalize research plans and develop a communication strategy for the duration of the project. The local research assistants will help with project coordination for each community. Interpretation of results will occur in communities in January 2021. Posters, postcards, public meetings and radio announcements will be used to advertise sampling project in the communities and invite harvesters to participate. Public meetings in January 2020 in both communities will provide the opportunity to advertise the project and respond to community questions and concerns. Team leaders will present to communities and local organizations in January 2020 and for results workshops. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from January 31, 2020 to December 31, 2020.