Vision screening of school children in greenland 2017-2022: coverage and low vision prevalence.

Vision screening during childhood is vital for the early detection and treatment of visual impairment that may significantly impact a child's development and quality of life. This nationwide cross-sectional study used data from Greenland's national electronic medical records, including 2,493 six-year-old children from July 2017 to July 2023, to evaluate the coverage rate of vision screening and the prevalence of low vision in Greenlandic schoolchildren. The participation rate in vision screening increased from 43% in 2017 to 61% in 2022, while referral rates to ophthalmologists decreased from 14% to 5%, despite a consistent prevalence of low vision. The mean prevalence of impaired vision (0.3 logMAR / ≤0.50 Snellen decimal) in the better-seeing eye at the vision screening throughout the study period was 3%. At the same time, it was 8% for the worse-seeing eyes, indicating a continuous need for ophthalmological evaluation of the Greenlandic children. This study highlights healthcare delivery challenges in Greenland's sparsely populated areas and emphasises the need for new national guidelines to optimise referral processes. Utilising other healthcare professionals, such as optometrists, for vision screenings and ensuring follow-ups are critical for improving the visual health outcomes of Greenlandic children.

Feasibility of a 12 weeks supervised exercise training intervention among people with Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY) or type 2 diabetes in Greenland.

Preventing and managing Type 2 diabetes (T2D) involves adopting healthy lifestyle habits such as balanced nutrition and regular exercise. Maturity Onset Diabetes of The Young (MODY) shares diagnostic characteristics with T2D, but exercise responses in MODY remain unclear. In Greenland, MODY is 4-5 times more common than in other countries. No established exercise regimen exists for either T2D or MODY in Greenland. This study assessed the feasibility of a 12-week supervised exercise programme for MODY and T2D in Greenland, focusing on attendance, satisfaction, and effects on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and quality of life (QoL). Conducted as an experimental, two-armed, controlled trial, nine participants (4 with MODY) engaged in prescribed training sessions twice weekly for 45-60 minutes, while another nine (4 with MODY) formed the control group. Key outcomes included adherence rates, satisfaction levels, changes in HbA1c, body composition, aerobic fitness, blood pressure, CVD risk factors, and SF-12 scores. Although training adherence was modest at 56%, participant satisfaction remained high. Notable findings included a slight decrease of -0.3 mmol/l in HDL-cholesterol and a 5.7-point increase in the mental component (MCS) of SF-12 within the intervention group. However, the study underscores the need to refine the study design before supervised exercise programmes can be widely implemented in clinical settings in Greenland.

Rethinking the use of urine dipstick for early diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Transport workers, seafarers and fishers have biannual mandatory fit-for duty medical examinations. Urinedipstick is used for early diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Due to low sensitivity with more than 80% false negatives the method should be replaced by highly sensitive blood tests, Hb1Ac or similar for diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes mellitus to pursue the UN Global Sustainable Goals, especially Goal 3: Good health and well-being for all workers and Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth.