Doctoral Dissertation Research: Fertility and Reproductive Health Decisions in Response to Climate Change and Adaptation in Greenland

本研究调查了气候变化和适应如何影响格陵兰岛因纽特人Kalaallit的生殖决策。关于生育和家庭规模的决定受到社会、经济和自然资源可得性的影响，而气候变化正日益影响因纽特人的生活方式和当地经济，包括狩猎和捕鱼。此外，这项工作将确定决策者如何在气候适应规划中考虑生育率和生殖健康。在与生育率和气候变化有关的全球挑战的更广泛背景下，这项研究促进以公平的方法解决自然资源可得性和人口健康等复杂问题。研究结果将为其他北极地区的气候适应规划提供信息，特别是在极地周围的土著社区中。该项目促进了美国国家科学基金会的使命，即通过让妇女和Kalaallit知识持有人作为研究伙伴，推动历史上在科学领域代表性不足的群体的发展。本研究以生态系统理论为基础，以社区参与研究原则为基础。将对居住在格陵兰两个社区的40名育龄（18-49岁）男女进行半结构化访谈。访谈将探讨他们对气候变化的看法，并确定影响他们生育决定的因素。深入访谈将与25位主要利益相关者和政策制定者进行，他们在狩猎和渔业，生态旅游，政府和医疗保健行业工作。访谈将与Kalaallit社区研究合作伙伴的输入进行分析。结果将以与文化相关的形式，包括通过社区聚会，传播给社区成员、科学家和决策者。将收集反馈意见，以便对调查结果进行背景分析，并确定实施的机会。研究结果对北极社会科学研究和政策领域具有重要意义，包括医疗保健、自然资源经济学和可持续发展。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This research investigates how climate change and adaptation affect reproductive decision-making by Kalaallit, the Inuit of Greenland. Decisions about reproduction and family size are influenced by availability of social, economic, and natural resources, while climate change is increasingly affecting Inuit ways of life and local economies, including hunting and fishing. Additionally, this work will identify how policymakers consider fertility and reproductive health in climate adaptation planning. In the broader context of global challenges related to fertility and climate change, this research promotes an equitable approach to solving complex problems of natural resource availability and population health. Findings will inform climate adaptation planning in other Arctic contexts, particularly among circumpolar Indigenous communities. This project promotes the National Science Foundation mission to advance historically underrepresented groups in science by engaging women and Kalaallit knowledge holders as partners in research.This research is based in ecological systems theory and grounded in the principles of community-based participatory research. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with 40 reproductive-aged (18–49 years old) men and women living in two communities in Greenland. Interviews will explore their perspectives on climate change and identify factors that influence their fertility decisions. In-depth interviews will be conducted with 25 key stakeholders and policymakers who work in hunting and fishing industries, ecotourism, government, and healthcare. Interviews will be analyzed with input from a Kalaallit community research partner. Results will be disseminated to community members, scientists, and policymakers in a culturally relevant format, including through a community gathering. Feedback will be collected to contextualize the findings and to identify opportunities for implementation. Research results have implications for Arctic social science research and policy arenas, including healthcare, natural resource economics, and sustainable development.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.