From Resilient to Thriving: Policy Recommendations to Support Health and Well-being in the Arctic

Abstract

In 2018 – 19, eight Indigenous and non-Indigenous individuals from Canada, Greenland/Denmark, Sweden, and Alaska/United States came together to address research questions relevant to Arctic nations’ shared challenges and opportunities. Our work incorporated critical, community-based perspectives on Arctic health and well-being and promoted strengths-based approaches developed in partnership with Arctic communities. In this article we describe the group’s 16 action-oriented policy recommendations to support health and well-being in the Arctic in four thematic areas: 1) acknowledge and integrate Indigenous rights and knowledges, 2) implement meaningful action to address Indigenous determinants of health, 3) expand health-oriented monitoring and assessment programs, and 4) implement community-led, critical research approaches that focus on partnerships, reciprocity, adherence to ethical guidelines, and funding community-based research. Our recommendations are actionable guidelines for policy and research aimed at reducing inequities, supporting Indigenous expertise and existing knowledge, and promoting thriving communities in the Arctic.