AbstractsMedical & Health Science

THE HEALTH OF THE FINNISH SAMI IN THE LIGHT OF MORTALITY AND CANCER PATTERN The Sami are regarded as indigenous people of Scandinavia and northwest Russia. Their traditional dwelling zone consists of the most northern parts of those countries. In addition to the Arctic environmental circumstances, some radioactive and chemical pollution has been found in the environment of the Sami. In this study, the mortality and cancer incidence of the Finnish Sami groups (North-, Inari- and Skolt Sami) are studied and also compared to the Sami in Sweden and Norway. The survival of the Finnish Sami cancer patients was compared to that of the Finnish general population. A person representing at least 75 per cent of any ethnic subgroup of Sami was classified as Sami. The follow-up has been from 1979 to 2010. The disease mortality among the Northern and Inari Sami was statistically significantly lower, and that of the Skolt Sami higher than that of the general population of Finland. Standardized mortality ratio (SMR) among Northern Sami was 0.88 (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.78-0.99), among the Inari Sami 0.85 (0.73-0.96) and among the Skolt Sami 1.20 (1.00-1.41). The mortality from accidents and suicides was significantly increased among Sami men, SMR 1.88 (1.36-2.52) and 1.78 (1.14-2.65) correspondingly. The cancer incidences of the North- and Inari Sami were low. For the North Sami, the standardized incidence rate (SIR) was 0.68 (95% Confidence Interval 0.55-0.82) and for the Inari Sami 0.57 (0.43-0.74). The SIR of Skolt Sami was 0.96 (0.71-1.27) because of the high SIR of stomach cancer, SIR 3.40 (1.47-6.69). The common cancers among the Finnish main population, prostate-, breast- and skin cancers are especially rare among the Finnish Sami. The incidence and the mortality of cancers among the Finnish Sami are rather similar to those of the Swedish and Norwegian Sami, with the exception of the Swedish Sami women, whose incidence was the same as that of the Swedish general population. The survival of the Finnish Sami cancer patients was the same as that of the corresponding cancer patients in the general population. There were no signs of radioactive or chemical pollution in the mortality or cancer incidence results. The living habits and environment of the Sami have changed, and hence also the mortality and cancer morbidity is nowadays more like that of the majority of Finnish and other western populations. They have gone through an epidemiological transition, different subgroups in different times. The traditional Sami living has been a good example of a healthy way of living, except for the risk-taking of Sami men. When looking at the low figures of some cancers, the genetic features of the Sami as a cause for it cannot be excluded. Suomen saamelaisten terveys kuolleisuuden ja syöpäesiintyvyyden valossa Suurin osa Suomen saamelaisista on asunut saamelaisalueella aina seitsemänkymmentä luvun alkuun asti. Arktisissa olosuhteissa ja eristyneisyydessä on vaadittu erityisiä selviytymistaitoja. Sen lisäksi havaittiin alueella…