For this weeks discussion I decided to focus on Infant Mortality as a measurement of the wellbeing of the Arctic States. According to the Arctic Social Indicators document, “infant mortality relates directly to quality of life and people’s sense of wellbeing, and it integrates a wide range of health-relevant conditions including health infrastructure, sanitation, nutrition, behavior, social problems and disease,” (Arctic Social Indicators, 2014, p. 37). With this social indicator being so representative of how a nation is handling their healthcare, infrastructure, and social problems, I decided to dive into the rates seen in Alaska, my home; Canada, our neighbors; and Norway, a fellow Arctic State with a contrastingly different social structure than that of North America. My results based on the nations chosen were not that surprising: Norway averaged around 3, and has universal healthcare coverage for all its residents; Canada had an average of about 5.1, with a somewhat universal healthcare system known for its long wait times for care; finally, Alaska averaged at about 6.1, a state with no universal healthcare system and very few avenues for those in rural communities to reach healthcare services. It is very clear which nations here truly do value the health of their citizens and show that through their actions and healthcare programs.
Hey Olivia! We chose the same statistic to analyze at a similar time, but we compared different countries, making our combined posts a very comprehensive view of infant mortality in the Arctic. I was surprised to see from your post that Canada’s rates were not much lower than Alaska’s as I would have assumed their national healthcare system to be superior. Norway has a great record when compared to anyone though, which certainly indicates their approach to healthcare nationally, but also their commitment to being a leader in science and development in the Arctic.
Hi Olivia,
I find it very interesting that you pointed out the difference in health care through your 3 chosen states and the infant mortality rate differences. Access to health care is such a massively important factor of well being, and it is obvious that the Norwegian system works more efficiently than the US’s disfunction. I had originally tried to find data on communities proximity to large health care, however was unable to find the data. I am curious to see how much the infant mortality rates change the more rural folks live.