SAMINOR 1
The first survey of the Population-based Study on Health and Living Conditions in Regions with Sami and Norwegian Populations
The SAMINOR 1 Survey was conducted in 2003–2004 in collaboration between the Centre for Sami Health Research (CSHR) and the National Health Screening Service, which was later incorporated into the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH). SAMINOR 1 was conducted in parallel with a regional health survey (TROFINN) organised by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
Municipalities Invited to Participate:
Finnmark:
Karasjok, Kautokeino, Porsanger, Tana, Nesseby, Lebesby, Alta, Loppa and Kvalsund.
Troms:
Kåfjord, Kvænangen, Storfjord, Lyngen, Skånland and Lavangen
Nordland:
Tysfjord, Evenes, Hattfjelldal (Hattfjelldal district), Grane (Majavatn district), Narvik (Vassdalen district)
Nord-Trøndelag:
Røyrvik and parts of Namsskogan (Trones and Furuly) and Snåsa (Vinje)
Sør-Trøndelag:
Parts of Røros Municipality (Brekken) in Sør-Trøndelag.
Apart from Alta, all municipalities had fewer than 3000 inhabitants.
Participation
The numbers of participants referred to here are those who answered at least one questionnaire and/or took part in the clinical examination and who did not refuse consent for the use of their data in medical research.
|
Men |
Women |
Total |
||||||
Age |
No. invited |
No. of participants |
% |
No. invited |
No. of participants |
% |
No. invited |
No. of participants |
% |
30 |
427 |
125 |
29.3 |
409 |
202 |
49.4 |
836 |
327 |
39.1 |
36-39 |
1646 |
710 |
43.1 |
1546 |
870 |
56.3 |
3192 |
1580 |
49.5 |
40-44 |
1948 |
971 |
49.8 |
1788 |
1158 |
64.8 |
3736 |
2129 |
57.0 |
45-49 |
1997 |
1124 |
56.3 |
1823 |
1207 |
66.2 |
3820 |
2331 |
31.0 |
50-54 |
2135 |
1259 |
59.0 |
1809 |
1305 |
72.1 |
3944 |
2564 |
65.0 |
55-59 |
2073 |
1274 |
61.5 |
1722 |
1225 |
71.1 |
3795 |
2499 |
65.8 |
60-64 |
1484 |
957 |
64.5 |
1311 |
946 |
72.2 |
2795 |
1903 |
68.1 |
65-69 |
1158 |
747 |
64.5 |
1177 |
792 |
67.3 |
2335 |
1539 |
65.9 |
70-74 |
1026 |
589 |
57.4 |
1058 |
654 |
61.8 |
2084 |
1243 |
59.6 |
75-79 |
647 |
354 |
54.7 |
803 |
396 |
49.3 |
1450 |
750 |
51.7 |
Total |
14541 |
8110 |
55.8 |
13446 |
8,755 |
65.1 |
27987 |
16865 |
60.3 |
Implementation of the Survey
When the survey began in Nesseby, a two-page questionnaire (Questionnaire 0) compiled by the CSHR was sent to selected age groups, with an invitation letter and an information brochure. Those invited could choose between only the questionnaire or the questionnaire and the clinical examination. The completed questionnaires were returned to the Department of Community Medicine at the University of Tromsø.
Those who wished to participate in the clinical examination subsequently received an invitation indicating the time and place. The invitation was sent out with a three-page questionnaire from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (also in Sami). Completed questionnaires were handed to staff at the appointment for the clinical examination. The examinations took place in two health buses parked at one or more places in the municipality.
After the clinical part of the health survey, participants were asked to complete a four-page supplementary questionnaire (also in Sami and English) from the CSHR and return this to the University of Tromsø.
The study design was changed after the participation of four municipalities in Finnmark: Nesseby, Tana, Karasjok and Kautokeino. The reason for this was low attendance in the clinical examination. In the municipalities which followed, all participants were invited directly to attend a clinical examination. The first two-page questionnaire from the CSHR (the so-called Questionnaire 0) was added to the clinical questionnaire from the Institute of Public Health; participants therefore received a five-page questionnaire (also available in Sami and later translated into English), which they handed in at the clinical examination.
Reminders:
- In the first four municipalities, reminders (in Norwegian and Northern Sami) were sent to those who had not completed Questionnaire 0, in order to increase the response rate before invitations to the clinical examination were sent out.
- In Finnmark and Troms, there was a second round, where the health buses returned to the municipalities after 2-3 months. Those who did not attend in the first round received a reminder with a new appointment in the second round.
- In Nordland, Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag, there was no second round.
- A reminder was sent to all participants who did not return the supplementary questionnaires handed out after the clinical examination.
- In the first four municipalities (Nesseby, Tana, Karasjok and Kautokeino), attendance was so low after the first round that it was decided to invite all participants to attend a clinical examination in the second round, irrespective of whether or not they had completed Questionnaire 0. This meant that many participants were examined without ever having responded to Questionnaire 0. Therefore, in 2006, those who had not responded were contacted again and data on their language and ethnicity was obtained.
Data controller
UiT The Arctic University of Norway is Data Controller
Further details of the SAMINOR 1 Survey are described in:
Lund E, Melhus M, Hansen KL, Nystad T, Broderstad AR, Selmer R, Lund-Larsen PG. Population Based Study of Health and Living Conditions in Areas with both Sami and Norwegian populations-The SAMINOR Study. Int J Circumpolar Health 2007; 66(2): 113–128.
Documents Used in SAMINOR 1
Design 1 was used in Nesseby, Tana, Karasjok and Kautokeino. Design 2 was used in the remaining municipalities.
Information brochure, Design 1
Information brochure, Design 2
Invitation letter (Norwegian and Northern Sami). Design1
Initial questionnaire (Norwegian and Northern Sami), Design1
Main questionnaire (Norwegian), Design1
Main questionnaire (Northern Sami), Design1
Main and initial questionnaire combined (Norwegian), Design2
Main and initial questionnaire combined (Northern Sami), Design2
Main and initial questionnaire combined (English translation), Design2
Additional questionnaire (Norwegian)
Additional questionnaire (Northern Sami)
Additional questionnaire (English translation)
Declaration of consent (Norwegian and Northern Sami)
Reminder card (Norwegian and Northern Sami), Design 1
Clinical measurement form (Norwegian)
For researchers: All questionnaires (Norwegian), including names and coding of variables