Geographical Locaions - French Polynesia

• (Statistical) Number of Inhabitants per Doctor:
• CIA - World Factbook : French Polynesia

Organisations and Networks

UN and Multinational

• (Statistical) Number of Inhabitants per Doctor: ??
• WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific (WPRO) in Manila (Philippines)

Government

• Presidency of French Polynesia

Non-Government

Academic Institutions

National Policy and Related Documents

Reports, Guidelines, and Projects

• Fish consumption and health in French Polynesia
  French Polynesians, like other remote maritime populations are intimately connected to the ocean which nourishes their daily life and culture. Their reliance on fish raises the issue of potential exposure to harmful natural and anthropogenic contaminants as well as providing essential nutrients. The purpose of this study was to assess the risks and benefits of fish consumption in French Polynesia. This cross-sectional study included 195 adults aged 18 years old and over from the Tahiti and Moorea islands. Fatty acids, selenium (Se) and mercury (Hg) blood concentrations were measured in participants and were all very high. Blood concentrations indicate that Hg, Se and omega-3 fatty acids have a common origin, i.e. fish consumption. In comparing the Polynesian group with northern populations, we found that the Polynesian group had levels of Hg similar to those observed in Inuit populations (geometric mean (range): 90.3 (15-420) nmol/L vs. Inuit: m(r): 79.6 (4-560) nmol/L). Similar results were observed with Se blood concentrations. The fatty acid concentration was also similar to that of the Inuit population even though the specific profile of fatty acids differed. For the first time, we report very high blood concentrations of mercury, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids in a fishing population from the South Pacific, comparable to those reported among fishing populations from the Northern hemisphere. Further work is ongoing to better substantiate public health nutritional policies. [author abstract] [Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2008; 17(1): 86-93]
• High fish consumption in French Polynesia and prenatal exposure to metals and nutrients
  French Polynesians consume high quantities of fish and are therefore exposed to seafood-related contaminants such as mercury (Hg) or lead (Pb) and nutrients such as iodine, selenium and long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs). As the developing foetus is sensitive to contaminants and nutrients, a cross-sectional study was conducted in French Polynesia in 2005-2006 to assess prenatal exposure to contaminants and nutrients through fish consumption. Two hundred and forty one (241) delivering women originating from all islands of French Polynesia were recruited and agreed to answer questions on fish consumption and gave permission to collect umbilical cord blood for metals and nutrients analyses. All parameters were found in high concentrations in cord blood samples except for lead. Mercury concentrations averaged 64.6 nmol/L (or 13 μg/L) with values ranging from 0.25 to 240 nmol/L. Of the sample, 82.5% had Hg concentrations above the US-EPA blood guideline of 5.8 μg/L. Tuna was the fish species which contributed the most to Hg exposure. High selenium and LCPUFAs may counterbalance the potential risk of prenatal exposure to Hg in French Polynesia. Due to the high fish consumption of mothers, Polynesian newborns are prenatally exposed to high doses of mercury. Although selenium and omega–3 fatty acids may counteract mercury toxicity, informing pregnant women on both the mercury and nutrient content of local fish species is important. [author abstract] [Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2008; 17 (3): 461-470]
• Prevalence of Chronic Symptoms of Ciguatera Disease in French Polynesian Adults
  Ciguatera is a tropical disease caused by seafood poisoning, for which the duration of symptoms remains to be determined. The objectives of this prospective study were to determine the prevalence of symptoms at different time points and to identify factors associated with chronic symptoms observed in adults suffering from this disease. At the time of onset, we observed a dose–response relationship including a strong association between the delay of appearance of symptoms and a severity index (P < 0.001). Our results confirmed the key role of fish organs in the risk of contracting a more severe form of ciguatera. In the chronic stage, only the severity score based on information recorded in the acute phase is related to the persistence of symptoms (P < 0.001). Our findings suggest that several symptoms observed in the acute phase of the disease are still experienced 15 days after onset. This supports previous observations based on isolated case reports. [author abstract] [Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 77(5), 2007, pp. 842–846]
• UNAIDS/WHO Epidemiological Fact Sheet on HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections- 2004 Update

Educational Resources

• CDC - Travel Information: Australia and the South Pacific