Unnatural deaths among Indigenous populations, including the Swedish Sami, occur more often than among the general population.
To find prevention strategies, we explored the circumstances of the unnatural deaths of members of reindeer-herding Sami families.
Transport-related deaths and suicides were the most common unnatural deaths among Swedish reindeer-herding Sami family members. Suicides contributed to 23% of all deaths, road traffic accidents to 16%, and snowmobile fatalities to 11%. The accidents generally reflected an “outdoor lifestyle” and the working conditions were characterized by the use of off-road vehicles such as snowmobiles.
Half of the number of victims tested positive for alcohol and alcohol abuse was documented in 15% of all victims. The results indicate that alcohol is an important factor in preventing unnatural deaths among reindeer-herding Sami, together with increased safety of both on-road and off-road transportation.
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