Mental Health in the High North: Health Outcomes and Local Interventions Among the Sami
The Arctic – A Global Health Perspective – continues to highlight the growing international interest in the region, with participants tuning in from over 15 countries including Russia, Iceland, South Africa, Sudan, and China. This series offers the opportunity to reflect on the transdisciplinary nature of global health and gain a new understanding of the Far North.
In Webinar 6, Lars Helander, Psychologist with a specialisation in adult psychology and suicidology, focused on the effects of health policies and local interventions among the Sámi people in Norway. Helander, a Sámi himself, currently works in an emergency psychiatric clinic for the north- Sámi of Norway. Helander provided us with a brief history of the Sámi people, the challenges to access to health care, the lasting mental health impacts of colonization, and introduced us to local and Sámi-led interventions which seek to address these health disparities.
The Sámi are the Indigenous People of the arctic area living in the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Russian Peninsula. The number of Sámi is estimated at about 40,000-100,000, with the largest proportion living in Norway. As in other parts of the Arctic, most of the Sámi live in rural and semirural areas, which are sparsely populated. Through the centuries, and like other indigenous groups, the Sámi people, due to colonization faced heavy pressure to assimilate and adapt to Norwegian culture and language.
Starting in the late 1960s, there has been an ethno-political movement and a Sámi revitalization that includes nation-building and identity. However, with modernization causing rapid changes in social and cultural lifestyle, there have been continued consequences such as disadvantaged socio-economic positions (e.g. poverty, discrimination, and racism). This has led to poor health and living conditions with fatal consequences as well as mental health struggles and high suicide rates. In the 1980s and 1990s, a wave of suicide hit a Sámi community.
Helander emphasizes the importance of culture in mental health care as it shapes the experience of mental health problems, together with health-related beliefs, help-seeking behaviors, and ideas about treatment. Due to the history and legacy of trauma, there is inherent skepticism in seeking healthcare and because of the Sámi’s experience – a culturally sensitive prevention approach which integrates historical and local knowledge is essential. With this collaborative approach, the community is able to respond to its health issues in ways that reflect community values and builds resilience.
When asked about how he keeps spirits strong within his work and with his patients, Lars remarks, “I do this by trying to wake up the emotional memory of the Sámi People from their childhood.” By using encouraging words and eliciting positive memories of growing up, such as walking the distance to a fishing hole or spending time with grandparents, Lars makes it possible to connect through conversation with his patients in a psychiatric setting.
“The series continues to offer unique and meaningful perspectives on local issues and solutions in the High North” says Dr. Baumann, Associate V-P of Global Health “providing us with insight and expert knowledge about an underrepresented area in global health.”
The fifth webinar in the series, Community-engaged Research for Northern Sustainability with Dr. Gita Ljubicic, Associate Professor in the School of Earth Environment and Society at McMaster University will take place on Monday, March 22, 10:00-11:00 am EDT. For more information about The Arctic – Global Health Perspective and to register click here.
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