Risk factors associated with developing anxiety in Inuit adolescents from Nunavik

Lamoureux-Tremblay, Vickie; Muckle, Gina; Maheu, Françoise S.; Jacobson, Joseph L.; Ayotte, Pierre; Bélanger, Richard E.; Saint-Amour, Dave

doi:10.1016/j.ntt.2020.106903

Cited by 9 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 102 publications

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“… 29 , 69 , 70 Several studies have reported an association between prenatal Hg exposure and anxiety-related symptoms in children or adolescents. 18 , 31 , 71 – 73 These findings are supported by recent imaging studies of prefrontal brain areas of Inuit adolescents. 74 For the children and youth in the present study, there was a direct association between emotional state and behavioral problems and attempted suicide.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 68%

“…28 During pregnancy, maternal consumption of Hg-laden fish exposes the developing fetus; MeHg is actively transported across the placental barrier and umbilical cord blood MeHg is approximately twice that of maternal blood. 29 Studies of Inuit children in Canada report increased risk for borderline intellectual disability 30 and adolescent anxiety 31 in relation to umbilical cord blood total Hg.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Contribution across Three Generations of Mercury Exposure to Attempted Suicide among Children and Youth in Grassy Narrows First Nation, Canada: An Intergenerational Analysis

Mergler

Philibert

Fillion

et al. 2023

Environ Health Perspect

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Background: For 60 y, the people of Asubpeeschoseewagong Anishinabek (Grassy Narrows First Nation) have endured the effects of massive mercury (Hg) contamination of their river system, central to their traditions, culture, livelihood, and diet. In the years following the Hg discharge into the English–Wabigoon River system by a chloralkali plant in the early 1970s, there was a dramatic increase in youth suicides. Several authors attributed this increase solely to social disruption caused by the disaster. Objective: This research examined the possible contribution of Hg exposure across three generations on attempted suicides among today’s children (5–11 y old) and youth (12–17 y old), using a matrilineal intergenerational paradigm. Methods: Information from the 2016–2017 Grassy Narrows Community Health Assessment (GN-CHA) survey was merged with Hg biomonitoring data from government surveillance programs (1970–1997). Data from 162 children/youth (5–17 years of age), whose mothers ( ) had provided information on themselves, their parents, and children, were retained for analyses. Direct and indirect indicators of Hg exposure included a ) grandfather had worked as a fishing guide, and b ) mother’s measured and estimated umbilical cord blood and childhood hair Hg and her fish consumption during pregnancy with this child. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine significant links from grandparents (G0) to mothers’ exposure and mental health (G1) and children/youth (G2) risk for attempted suicide. Results: Mothers’ (G1) median age was 33 y, 86.3% of grandmothers (G0) had lived in Grassy Narrows territory during their pregnancy, and 52.5% of grandfathers (G0) had worked as fishing guides. Sixty percent of children (G2) were years of age. Mothers reported that among teenagers (G2: 12–17 years of age), 41.2% of girls and 10.7% of boys had ever attempted suicide. The SEM suggested two pathways that significantly linked grandparents (G0) to children’s (G2) attempted suicides: a ) through mothers’ (G1) prenatal and childhood Hg exposure and psychological distress, and b ) through maternal fish consumption during pregnancy (G1/G2), which is an important contributor to children’s emotional state and behavior. Discussion: Despite minimal individual information on G0 and G1 past life experiences, the findings support the hypothesis that Hg exposure over three generations contributes to the mental health of today’s children and youth. The prevalence of Grassy Narrows youth ever having attempted suicide is three times that of other First Nations in Canada. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11301

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 68%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Contribution across Three Generations of Mercury Exposure to Attempted Suicide among Children and Youth in Grassy Narrows First Nation, Canada: An Intergenerational Analysis

Mergler

Philibert

Fillion

et al. 2023

Environ Health Perspect

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“…The authors did not mention whether these questionnaires were adapted to Inuit participants. 121 Another study in Nunavik on food insecurity and psychological distress among Inuit adolescents (n=212) used an established child behaviour checklist, the Disruptive Behaviour Disorders Rating Scale and the Achenbach’s Youth Self-Report. The authors recognised none of these questionnaires had been used before in Inuit children and justified their adoption by reporting use among other Indigenous Arctic populations, among whom the internal consistency was either high or moderate.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A 2020 study used the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory to examine the association between anxiety among the at-risk population of Inuit adolescents (n=89) and exposure to environmental chemicals. The authors did not mention whether these questionnaires were adapted to Inuit participants 121. Another study in Nunavik on food insecurity and psychological distress among Inuit adolescents (n=212) used an established child behaviour checklist, the Disruptive Behaviour Disorders Rating Scale and the Achenbach’s Youth Self-Report.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shifting paradigm from biomedical to decolonised methods in Inuit public health research in Canada: a scoping review

et al. 2022

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BackgroundThe National Inuit Strategy on Research focuses on advancing Inuit governance in research, increasing ownership over data and building capacity. Responding to this call for Inuit self-determination in research, academic researchers should consider cultural safety in research and ways to promote Inuit-led methods.MethodsThis scoping review collated academic literature on public health research in Inuit communities in Canada between 2010 and 2022. A critical assessment of methods used in public health research in Inuit communities examined cultural safety and the use of Inuit-attuned methods. Descriptive and analytical data were summarised in tables and figures. Knowledge user engagement in the research process was analysed with thematic analysis.Results356 articles met the inclusion criteria. Much of the published research was in nutrition and mental health, and few initiatives reported translation into promotion programmes. Almost all published research was disease or deficit focused and based on a biomedical paradigm, especially in toxicology, maternal health and chronic diseases. Recent years saw an increased number of participatory studies using a decolonial lens and focusing on resilience. While some qualitative research referred to Inuit methodologies and engaged communities in the research process, most quantitative research was not culturally safe. Overall, community engagement remained in early stages of co-designing research protocols and interventions. Discussion on governance and data ownership was limited. Recent years saw emerging discussions on these issues. Knowledge user capacity-building was limited to brief training on conventional data collection methods.ConclusionsThe last decade of published public health research has not responded to the National Inuit Strategy on Research. Participatory research is gaining ground, but has not reached its full potential. A shift from biomedical to decolonised methods is slowly taking place, and public health researchers who have not yet embraced this paradigm shift should do so.

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“…Despite numerous large cohort studies showing alterations of cognitive function with prenatal exposure to legacy contaminants, limited attention has been directed towards emotional and motivational outcomes [8]. While several studies have shown higher rates of depression and anxiety symptoms as well as a lack of positive affect in various cohorts of chronically-exposed individuals [9][10][11][12][13], very few have examined reward processes. Reward dysregulation is thought to play a key role in various psychopathologies (e.g., depression, addiction, substance abuse, attention and deficit disorder) and risk-taking behaviors [14] and is a central aspect of hedonic experiences, motivation towards goal-oriented actions, reinforcement learning and reward-related decision making [15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pre- and postnatal exposure to legacy environmental contaminants and sensation seeking in Inuit adolescents from Nunavik

Gagnon-Chauvin,

Jacobson,

Jacobson

et al. 2023

PLOS Glob Public Health

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Despite extensive evidence from cohort studies linking exposure to lead (Pb), mercury (Hg) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) to numerous cognitive outcomes in children and adolescents, very few studies addressed reward sensitivity, a key dimension of emotional regulation. The present study aimed to examine associations between pre- and postnatal exposure to these environmental neurotoxicants and sensation seeking, a behavioral feature of reward. A total of 207 Inuit adolescents (mean age = 18.5, SD = 1.2) from Nunavik, Canada, completed the Brief Sensation Seeking Scale (BSSS-4) and Sensation Seeking– 2 (SS-2), two self-report questionnaires assessing proneness to sensation seeking. Prenatal, childhood and adolescent exposure to Pb, Hg and PCBs were measured in cord blood at birth and blood samples at 11 years of age and at time of testing. Multiple linear regression models were performed, potential confounders including participants’ sociodemographic characteristics and nutrient fish intake were considered. Results showed that higher child blood levels of Pb (b = -0.18, p = 0.01) and PCB-153 (b = -0.16, p = 0.06) were associated with lower BSSS-4 total scores, while cord and adolescent blood PCB-153 levels were significantly related to lower SS2 total scores (b = -0.15, p = 0.04; b = -0.24, p = 0.004). Such associations persisted after further adjustment for co-exposure to concurrent contaminants. These associations were influenced by self-report positive affect and marginally moderated by sex. Sex differences were only observed for child PCB exposure, with the association for risk-taking sensation seeking observed only in girls but not in boys. Further research is warranted to assess the extent to which reduced sensation seeking in chronically exposed individuals affects their behaviors, well-being, and emotional regulation.

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Risk factors associated with developing anxiety in Inuit adolescents from Nunavik

Cited by 9 publications

References 102 publications

The Contribution across Three Generations of Mercury Exposure to Attempted Suicide among Children and Youth in Grassy Narrows First Nation, Canada: An Intergenerational Analysis

The Contribution across Three Generations of Mercury Exposure to Attempted Suicide among Children and Youth in Grassy Narrows First Nation, Canada: An Intergenerational Analysis

Shifting paradigm from biomedical to decolonised methods in Inuit public health research in Canada: a scoping review

Pre- and postnatal exposure to legacy environmental contaminants and sensation seeking in Inuit adolescents from Nunavik

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