Abdominal Wall Defects in Greenland 1989-2015.

BACKGROUND: In the last decades, an increasing rate of gastroschisis but not of omphalocele has been reported worldwide. Greenland is the world's largest island, but 80% is covered by an ice cap, it has a small population of around 56,000 peoples (as of 2016). The occurrence of abdominal wall defects has never been investigated in Greenland. METHODS: The present study is based on data retrieved from three nationwide and two local registries in the Greenlandic health care system over 27 years (1989-2015). RESULTS: We identified 33 infants with abdominal wall defects born in the study time period. All cases were reclassified to 28 cases of gastroschisis, four cases of omphalocele, and there was 1 infant in the indeterminate group. The point prevalence at birth for gastroschisis increased significantly from 8 to 35 (average 10.7) per 10,000 liveborn and -stillborn infants. Mothers below 20 years of age represented 23% of all cases and the prevalence for this group was 17 per 10,000 liveborn and stillborn. Perinatal mortality for infants with gastroschisis was high (18%), and 1 year survival was 71%. For omphalocele, the prevalence varied from 8 to 11 per 10,000 liveborn and stillborn infants. There was no increasing rate in the period, further highlighting an etiological difference between gastroschisis and omphalocele. CONCLUSION: This study confirms the increasing prevalence of gastroschisis in Greenland in the period from 1989 to 2015. The average was 10.7 per 10,000 liveborn and -stillborn infants and, to the best of our knowledge, this is the highest prevalence ever reported. Birth Defects Research 109:836-842, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

High prevalence of medicine-induced attempted suicides among females in Nuuk, Greenland, 2008-2009.

BACKGROUND: The suicide rate in Greenland, especially among men, is among the highest in the world. Attempted suicide rates may be high also. However, the rates of attempted suicide are unknown. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to estimate the age- and gender-specific incidence of attempted suicide using medicine in Nuuk in 2008-2009. DESIGN: An observational retrospective study of consecutive medical records on patients admitted to Dronning Ingrids Hospital in Nuuk in 2008-2009 with possible medicine intoxication. RESULTS: Seventy-four (60 females and 14 men) cases of attempted suicide using medicine were included. Of those, 43 used paracetamol alone or in combination with other medicine. The incidence of attempted suicide using medicine was higher among females than males (p < 0.001). The highest incidence of attempted suicide with paracetamol was found among women aged 20-24 years (0.84%). The highest incidence of suicide with medication (1.31 per 100 inhabitants per year) was among women aged 15-19 years. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of attempted suicide using medicine was high in Nuuk, Greenland, especially among women. The highest incidence of suicide attempts with medication was observed among women in the age group 15-19 years (1.31%). This may reflect psychosocial vulnerability among young people in Greenland. Initiatives to improve living conditions for children and adolescents are highly recommended to be initiated immediately.