Infant mortality and epidemic diseases. Wartime Finnmark in a comparative perspective

Nina Planting Mølmann; Bjarne K. Jacobsen; Ingunn Elstad

doi:10.7557/13.3637

Authors

Nina Planting Mølmann UiT The Arctic University of Norway
Bjarne K. Jacobsen UiT The Arctic University of Norway
Ingunn Elstad UiT The Arctic University of Norway

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7557/13.3637

Keywords:

epidemic diseases, public health, WW2, living conditions

Abstract

The effects of war on the health of the population have never been systematically studied. The article explores the impact of war on the general health condition of Finnmark’s population during the war years. The indicators chosen are infant mortality and the epidemic diseases diphtheria, scabies and acute gastroenteritis. The development of the indicators in Finnmark is compared with the averages in Norway and Finnish Lapland. The findings deserve attention. The article discusses the statistical indicators and findings in a social and historical context with a range of sources. The article is a broad as well as penetrating analysis of the war’s impact on the health of the civilian population of Finnmark and on their everyday living and survival.

Author Biographies

Nina Planting Mølmann, UiT The Arctic University of Norway

Historian and PhD student at University of Tromsø - The Arctic University of Norway. Mølman works as curator and leader at The Museum of Reconstruction for Finnmark and Northern Troms since 2008. Title of thesis: “Infant mortality and epidemic diseases: Wartime Finnmark and the reconstruction period in comparative perspective. Civilian society, living conditions and public health: 1940-1949”.

Bjarne K. Jacobsen, UiT The Arctic University of Norway

Nutritionist (cand.scient (MSc)) and epidemiologist (dr.philos). He is professor of epidemiology, Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromsø - The Arctic University of Norway. Research interests: The epidemiology of chronic diseases with some emphasis on risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. He has published more than 140 papers in peer-review journals.

Ingunn Elstad, UiT The Arctic University of Norway

Registered Nurse and Mag. Art. in philosophy. She works as a professor in nursing studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromsø - the Arctic University of Norway. Research interests: Philosophy of science, philosophy of nursing, phenomenology, social history of nursing and health care. Publications in nursing philosophy and the history of health care.