Health-related quality of life in indigenous Sami schoolchildren in Sweden.

AIM: To investigate health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in indigenous Sami schoolchildren in Sweden and its associations with sex, age, enculturation and ethnicity-related negative treatment. METHODS: The study population was comprised of all children in grades 6-12 (ages 12-18 years) who attended specific Sami school programmes in Sweden. HRQOL was measured by the Kidscreen-52 self-report form, which was filled in at school (n = 121). RESULTS: The indigenous Sami children in Sweden experienced lower HRQOL than Swedish children in general, with regard to their school situation, financial resources, parents' relations, physical well-being and social support from peers. In Sami children, functioning and well-being generally decreased by older age group and girls reported lower physical well-being, more negative feelings and more negative self-perception than boys. Finally, more than half of the Sami children had experienced ethnicity-related negative treatment, and these children reported a robustly lower functioning and well-being compared with those without this experience. CONCLUSION: In some aspects of HRQOL, indigenous Sami schoolchildren with an explicit ethnic identity experienced less favourable functioning and well-being than Swedish children in general, which is worrisome. A high degree of ethnicity-related negative treatment may partly explain this lower HRQOL in Sami children.

Alcohol use in young indigenous Sami in Sweden.

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests socially disadvantaged people or those who live in socially disadvantaged areas experience more harm per gram of alcohol consumed than people with greater social advantages. In the Sami group, probable associations between alcohol use and several areas of health have been explored, but there are no studies regarding the drinking habits of young Sami in Sweden. AIMS: To investigate alcohol use in young Sami in Sweden, and in a reference group from the general young Swedish population in the same area; to evaluate likely associations between gender, education, family situation and alcohol use. METHODS: The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test was used in a cross-sectional study comprising 516 Sami (18-28 years), and a reference group (18-29 years, n = 218). RESULTS: No significant differences in hazardous/harmful alcohol drinking in young Sami and Swedes were found. Nearly half the men and ~35% of the women reported risky alcohol use. Gender differences were reported only in the Sami. Sami men had 1.6 times higher odds of hazardous/harmful drinking compared to Sami women. Only in the Sami were lower education levels associated with higher odds of hazardous/harmful drinking. Experiences of "often forgetting important things", seldom "looking forward with joy", and self-perceived ethnicity-related negative treatment were associated with hazardous/harmful drinking. CONCLUSIONS: Although alcohol use in young Sami appears to be similar to alcohol use in young non-Sami Swedes, important risk factors for hazardous/harmful drinking are identified, e.g. ethnicity-related negative treatment. These should be taken into account when planning for preventive interventions.

Suicidal expressions in young Swedish Sami, a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the experience of suicidal expressions (death wishes, life weariness, ideation, plans and attempts) in young Swedish Sami, their attitudes toward suicide (ATTS), and experience of suicidal expressions and completed suicide in significant others and to compare with Swedes in general. METHODS: A cross-sectional study comprising 516 Swedish Sami, 18-28 years of age together with an age and geographically matched reference group (n=218). Parts of the ATTS questionnaire have been used to cover different aspects of the suicidal complex. Data were analysed with regard to gender, occupation, counties and experience of negative societal treatment due to Sami background. RESULTS: Both young Sami and young Swedes reported suicidal ideation, life weariness, and death wishes in a high degree (30-50%), but it was more common among the Sami. Having had plans to commit suicide showed a significant gender difference only in the Sami. The prevalence of suicide attempts did not differ significantly between Sami and Swedes. Subgroups of the Sami reported a higher degree of suicidal behaviour, Sami women and reindeer herders reported a 3, 5-fold higher odds of suicide attempts and a 2-fold higher odds having had plans committing suicide. Sami living in Vasterbotten/Jamtland/Vasternorrland and Sami with experience of ethnicity related bad treatment 2-fold higher odds of suicidal plans compared to those living in other counties. CONCLUSION: An increased occurrence of suicidal ideation/death wishes/life weariness in young Sami compared to young majority Swedes was found, but not an increased prevalence of suicide attempts and positive attitudes together with an increased awareness to handle suicide problems could be a contributing factor. Severe circumstances and experience of ethnicity-related bad treatment seems to contribute to increased levels of suicidal plans and attempts in subgroups of Sami.

The health of young Swedish Sami with special reference to mental health.

Objectives. To investigate the health of young Sami in Sweden and the relationship between health and experience of negative societal treatment due to ethnicity, as well as socio-demographic background factors. Study design. Cross-sectional population-based questionnaire study. Methods. A total of 876 persons aged 18-28 and involved in Sami associated activities were addressed, and 516 (59%) responded to a questionnaire investigating physical health, mental health, and stress. Data were analyzed with regard to gender, family situation, occupation, education, enculturation factors and experience of being badly treated because of ethnicity. Results. A majority of the young Sami reported feeling healthy, but close to half of the group reported often having worries, often forgetting things and often experiencing lack of time for doing needed things. Women and those living alone reported a more negative health. Furthermore, half of the group had perceived bad treatment because of Sami ethnicity, and this was negatively associated with some aspects of mental health. Conclusion. The young Sami had a rather good and possibly slightly better health than other young Swedes, except regarding worries and stress. A high degree of bad treatment due to Sami ethnicity and its negative association with health, may partly explain the high degree of some health problems.