Abstract
This is the first systematic review to explore health risks on Svalbard. We have analysed data retrieved from 18 articles that met eligibility criteria and present a mixed-methods quantitative and qualitative narrative synthesis. Norwegian and Russian inhabitants on Svalbard were compared with the respective mainland populations, and we found no evidence of an increased risk for or prevalence of diseases. The rate of injuries caused by snowmobile accidents were significantly higher, but this was outweighed by a correspondingly lower rate of other injuries. A small unique risk for injuries inflicted by polar bears was confirmed. We identified knowledge gaps concerning how health care and emergency preparedness are organised.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 2049055 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1-17 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| Journal | International Journal of Circumpolar Health |
| Volume | 81 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Copyright the Author(s) 2022. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.Keywords
- Arctic
- emergency preparedness
- global health
- health systems
- international cooperation
- svalbard