Methodological Notes – Population Module

In assessing the health of a population, accurate enumeration of the population is needed to provide the denominator for the rates and proportions which constitute many health indicators.

Most health indicators are aggregated on an annual basis, with the number of events occurring in a year (numerator) divided by the mean population of that period (year). Depending on how population is reported by the particular statistical agency:

As most health events tend to vary according to age and sex, the age-sex distribution of a population is needed to compute age-specific and age-standardized rates and proportions. Age data may be aggregated in 5-year age-groups (0-4, 5-9, …80-84, 85+), or other grouping. Of particular interest are the proportion of the population aged <15 years and ≥65.

The circumpolar region is known for its vast expanses and small populations, reflected in a generally low population density, calculated as:

This is expressed as persons per sq.km. In the Arctic, there are large, uninhabited ice-covered areas. In the towns and villages where people live, the density is substantially higher than the population density for the region as a whole.

There are two sources of information on population – the census and population registry. Both are in use in the circumpolar countries.

The Nordic countries have well-established population registries, which are continuously updated. Canada, the United States and Russia rely on periodic censuses. Canadian censuses are conducted every 5 years in the years ending in “1” and “6”. In the United States, a census is conducted once every 10 years in the year ending in “0”. Russian censuses are irregular – the last Soviet census was completed in 1989, the first post-Soviet census was conducted in 2002, followed by a second one in 2010. In the “intercensal” years, these jurisdictions produce annual estimates of the population, taking into account data on births, deaths, and migrations. It is these annual estimates that are used in CircHOB.

Population data are from the National Center for Health Statistics, bridged-race population estimates, accessed from CDC Wonder. Land area data are from US Census Bureau QuickFacts, converted from square miles.

Population data are from Statistics Canada: Table 17-10-0005-01 (formerly CANSIM 051-0001)  Land area data are from Statistics Canada: 2016 Census Profile

Denmark

Population data are from Statistics Denmark’s Statbank table BEF6 [2000-06] [2007-08] ; and FOLK1A [2009+]. Land area data from Statistics Denmark: Denmark Statistical Yearbook 2017, table 399

Population data are from Statistics Greenland’s Statbank
Population > Population of Greenland > Jan 1 (BEEST1) – for 2000-2010
Population > Population of Greenland > Mid year (BEESTM1) – for 2011+
Land area data are from Statistics Greenland: Greenland in Figures 2018

Population data are from Statistics Faroe Islands’ Statbank table IB01030
Land area data are from Statistics Faroe Islands: Faroe Islands in Figures 2018

Population data are from Statistics Iceland: Table MAN 08000
Land area data are from Statistics Iceland: Table UMH01001

Population data are from Statistics Norway, calculated from StatBank table 7459
Land area data are from Statistics Norway: Statistical Yearbook of Norway 2010, table 19

Population and land area data are from Statistics Sweden’s statistical database > Population > Population statistics> Number of inhabitants > Environment > Land and water area

Population data are from Statistics Finland’s StaFin database > Population > Population structure – table 004. Land area data are from Statistical Yearbook of Finland 2017, table 25.2

Population data are from Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat). Only the Russian website contains the interactive database for regional data, which requires registration and login

Data on age-sex distribution for the Russian Federation are available from the bilingual Demographic Yearbook of Russia.
Regional data are reported in Chiselennost’ naseleniia Rossiikoi Federatsii po polu i vozrastu: Statisticheski biulleten (Bulletin of the population of the Russian Federation by sex and age).
Land area data are from Regiony Rossii: Sotsial’no-ekonomischeskie pokazateli 2007 (Regions of Russia: Socio-economic characteristics)