Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. is collecting health information from Inuit across Nunavut. The Qanuippitaa? National Inuit Health Survey is designed and the data collected is owned by Inuit.
Representatives from the four land claim organizations across Inuit Nunangat, including NTI, are responsible for conducting the surveys in their areas. The survey, which translates as How are we doing now?, aims improve the well-being of Nunavut Inuit by providing information that can influence government policies, said a July 18 news release from NTI. It’s national in scope because Inuit in other parts of Canada are being surveyed but the Nunavut data will be owned and stored by NTI.
Data collection will be taking place over the next few months. Representatives have already been to Pond Inlet and plan to visit Sanikiluaq, Sanirajak and Gjoa Haven in August. “Information collected will be used for many purposes including planning, informing policy decisions, improving programs, and developing new ones where required,” said Annie Thomlinson, communications manager for Qanuippitaa?, in an email to Nunatsiaq News.
Nunavut Inuit will be hired in roles such as regional co-ordinators, interviewers, interpreters, and support workers with training and support provided, she said. “Once we are in a community, we will provide training for the staff, host a community event inviting community members to come and learn about the survey, then our team will start reaching out to selected individuals to take part in the survey,” said Thomlinson. Participants are selected at random from the NTI enrolment list.
Participation is voluntary, Thomlinson said, and participants will be compensated for the time that it takes to complete the survey. Data analysis of the survey results will take place at the regional and national level before being shared to the Qanuippitaa? National Inuit Health Survey website..
