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Pauktuutit, the Inuit women’s health organization, has released a new sexual health resource in English and five major dialects of Inuktitut. Tukisiviit: Do You Understand is intended to provide Inuit patients and caregivers, as well as health care professionals, plain language information in English and five major dialects of Inuktitut.
Effective communication between patients and health care providers may be challenging if not impossible where there are cultural and language barriers. Health programs and services must address language as well as cultural competency, ensuring accurate communication and understanding of information in Inuktitut as well as English. Within Inuit Nunangat, the Inuktitut language is a family of dialects that varies from region to region and sometimes from community to community. The Inuktitut language is strong and is widely used by Inuit in their homes and communities.
The Tukisiviit National Inuit Sexual Health Literacy Forum held in Happy Valley – Goose Bay in February 2012, brought together linguistic experts from all regions, sexual health content experts, community health and social service providers, AIDS service organizations, land claims organization representatives, educators, elders and youth, with focus on addressing the lack of sexual health and HIV/AIDS terminology and the unique differences of dialects in Inuit regions. Through this forum, Tukisiviit – Do You Understand? was developed.
Pauktuutit encourages Inuit and health service providers to use this glossary of terms to improve communication and understanding of sexual health terms.
Read more about it and download it from Pauktuutit’s website [3].