TTAAPP
Short Title: TTAAPP-IPY 2007-8 Project URL: http://ipy.antarctica.gov.au/projects/taking-the-antarctic-arctic-polar-pulse Proposal URL: http://classic.ipy.org/development/eoi/proposal-details.php?id=341 The IPY 2007-2008 provides a unique opportunity to create a human polar observatory and enhance our capacity to develop an innovative multinational and multidisciplinary Polar Health Surveillance System (PHSS) utilising synergies of existing national polar research programs, activities and data collection, and to coordinate the use of data from the PHSS to understand the biophysical, clinical, cultural, social and behavioural processes that shape the sustainability of circumpolar human societies (IPY Theme #6). We propose to use the PHSS to address the following questions: " What physiological, psychosocial and clinical changes occur in humans temporarily resident and interacting with the extreme environment of Antarctica? " Are these changes comparable to those experienced in temporarily resident non-indigenous Arctic populations exposed to difficult environments? " How can we best prevent and treat any adverse effects of these changes? " How can this understanding enable us to improve healthcare, health and wellbeing of humans in Polar regions, in space and other extreme environments, and in humankind in general? Activities during this period will include the utilization and enhancement of efficient smart, innovative eHealth and telemedicine technologies in the collection and support of this snapshot of human health during the IPY in polar regions. The programme will provide an opportunity for students and scholars from a consortium of educational facilities, universities and research institutes to participate in the proposed research activities and acquire the experience and skills necessary to become the next generation of polar human biology and medicine researchers. Once the comprehensive IPY science and operational plans are cemented in national programs, detailed flexible, modular and opportunistic human biology and medicine research planning will be possible, utilizing the various platforms including isolated polar communities, traverses and polar marine cruises. Subprojects utilizing or contributing to the PHSS based on nationally funded priorities will be coordinated by the research group and will include studies in the following domains of interest to Antarctic and Arctic researchers: " Epidemiology " Physiology " Social and Behavioral Sciences (including anthropology, sociology, psychology, social geography and archival domains) " Immunology " Photo/Chronobiology " Public health " Nutrition " Occupational health " eHealth Many of these subprojects have research modules currently in the field (e.g., Antarctic Multinational Psychology Research Project, Long Term Medical Survey) which will benefit greatly by increased participation and synergies of cross-analysis of datasets across nations, across disciplines and at both poles. Existing and new research modules utilizing new observational techniques will provide a unique opportunity to obtain a snapshot of polar health (leaving a legacy of data and health surveillance systems into the future Examples of subprojects under consideration include the following: 1. Antarctic Multinational Psychology Research Project(PI Antonio Peri) The AMPRP investigates the modifications of mood, subjective health complaints, coping strategies, interpersonal relationships occurring during a Antarctic winter campaign in groups of different nationalities. 2. Nutrition and Body Composition in Arctic(NuBCA) (PI Rosalba. Mattei) Nutrition is a vital necessity and eating in an adequate way represents the fundamental step in order to assure health status. The aim of the study is to anticipate malnutrition that could be the cause of any reduction in physiology and psychological efficiency. 3. Long Term Medical Survey Concordia Station Antarctica 4. Concordia Station Study -Behavior, Coping, Group phenomenon, and psychosocial adaptation to isolation and confinement in a multicultural group combination of psychological, ethological and ethnographic methods. (PI E Rosnet) The program deals with the psychosocial adaptation of a multicultural group in an isolated and confined environment. It will particularly be stressed on coping strategies and on social structure, social agreement, leadership and environmental affordances This second point will be studied toward complementary scientific approaches : psychological , ethological, and anthropological. The results will be related to the sociocultural background and the psychological characteristics of the participants and to the data of LTMS 5. Svalbard Miner's Study (PI G Leon, H Ursin) 6. GEOMED and others (PI Cermack). An interdisciplinary, multi-centre study to investigate the effects of the geomagnetic component of space weather on the parameters related to human health 7. Dome A East Antarctica Psychology and Physiology Studies(X. Quanfu PI) Investigation of seasonal changes in mood and hormonal profiles, including thyroid hormones, catecholamines, and cortisol. 8. Telemedicine respiratory system assessment and monitoring (PI S. Pillon) 9. Seasonal Activity Variations-Polar regions(SAV-PR) (PI G Steel) Investigation of seasonal psychological patterns, activity levels and arousal impacting deployments of polar sojourners in both Arctic and Antarctic.
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