{ "abstract": "Vitamin C deficiency, shaped by systemic inequities and disrupted food systems, remains a concern in remote Indigenous communities. In Northern Saskatchewan, clinicians observed increasing suspected scurvy among adults from geographically isolated First Nations communities. We conducted an exploratory retrospective review of adults who underwent clinician-initiated serum ascorbic acid testing at the La Ronge Medical Clinic from January 2011 to March 2024. Testing was based on clinical suspicion or perceived risk rather than population-based screening. Vitamin C deficiency was defined as <11 µmol/L and hypovitaminosis C as 11–23 µmol/L. Demographic, clinical, and testing-indication data were extracted, with exploratory comparisons by First Nations status, sex, age, and documented characteristic scurvy features. Study governance followed OCAP principles through partnerships with Lac La Ronge Indian Band Health Services and the Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority. Among 48 individuals with analyzable results, 27 (56%) had vitamin C deficiency and 10 (21%) had hypovitaminosis C. Deficiency was more common among First Nations than non-First Nations patients (66% versus 20%, p = 0.014). Dermatologic and oral manifestations were common indications for testing, although deficiency was also identified among patients without documented characteristic scurvy features. The high proportion of deficiency among tested patients suggests that vitamin C deficiency is an important clinical concern in this setting. However, this clinically selected sample should not be interpreted as estimating population-level prevalence. Given restricted laboratory access and the technical challenges of serum ascorbic acid testing, empiric supplementation may be a practical option for high-risk individuals. Longer-term responses should prioritize Indigenous-led food sovereignty, culturally grounded interventions, and policies addressing food access and underlying structural inequities.", "abstract_shown": true, "affiliations": [ "Northern Medical Services, Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan, Canada.", "Lac La Ronge Indian Band Health Services, La Ronge, Saskatchewan, Canada.", "Population Health Unit, Saskatchewan Health Authority, Saskatchewan, Canada.", "Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan, Canada.", "Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada.", "Community Health and Epidemiology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan, Canada." ], "article_type": "Research Article", "arxiv": null, "author_total": 6, "authors": [ { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Jeffrey David Connor Irvine", "orcid": "0009-0000-4391-9904" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Yoseph C Atreyu" }, { "affs": [ 1 ], "name": "Mary Carlson" }, { "affs": [ 2 ], "name": "Brian Quinn", "orcid": "0009-0006-8456-6352" }, { "affs": [ 3 ], "name": "James Irvine", "orcid": "0000-0001-5104-903X" }, { "affs": [ 4, 5 ], "name": "Nnamdi Ndubuka", "orcid": "0000-0002-1200-5787" } ], "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5aspkbr5n0260.bib", "cited_by": 0, "doi": "10.1371/journal.pgph.0007464", "fulltext_url": "https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0007464", "id": "5aspkbr5n0260", "issns": [ "2767-3375" ], "landing_url": "https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0007464", "language": "eng", "licence": "CC-BY", "licence_label": "CC BY", "licence_source": "article", "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "metadata_licence": null, "native_subjects": [ [ "heading", "Biology and Life Sciences" ], [ "heading", "Canada" ], [ "heading", "Chemical compounds" ], [ "heading", "Chemistry" ], [ "heading", "Diet" ], [ "heading", "Food" ], [ "heading", "Geographical locations" ], [ "heading", "Health Care" ], [ "heading", "Medicine and Health Sciences" ], [ "heading", "Micronutrient Deficiencies" ], [ "heading", "North America" ], [ "heading", "Nutrition" ], [ "heading", "Nutritional Deficiencies" ], [ "heading", "Organic chemistry" ], [ "heading", "Organic compounds" ], [ "heading", "People and places" ], [ "heading", "Physical sciences" ], [ "heading", "Public and Occupational Health" ], [ "heading", "Research Article" ], [ "heading", "Saskatchewan" ], [ "heading", "Socioeconomic Aspects of Health" ], [ "heading", "Vitamin C" ], [ "heading", "Vitamins" ], [ "openalex", "2916|Vitamin C and Antioxidants Research" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Nutrition" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Nutrition/Diet" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Nutrition/Diet/Food" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Nutrition/Nutritional deficiencies/Micronutrient deficiencies" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Health care/Socioeconomic aspects of health" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Nutrition" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Nutrition/Diet" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Nutrition/Diet/Food" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Nutrition/Nutritional deficiencies/Micronutrient deficiencies" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Public and occupational health/Socioeconomic aspects of health" ], [ "plos", "/People and places/Geographical locations/North America/Canada" ], [ "plos", "/People and places/Geographical locations/North America/Canada/Saskatchewan" ], [ "plos", "/Physical sciences/Chemistry/Chemical compounds/Organic compounds/Vitamins/Vitamin C" ], [ "plos", "/Physical sciences/Chemistry/Organic chemistry/Organic compounds/Vitamins/Vitamin C" ] ], "openalex": "W7224129231", "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0007464&type=printable", "pmcid": "PMC13716197", "pmid": "42949877", "published": "2026-10-28", "publisher": "Public Library of Science", "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5aspkbr5n0260.ris", "sources": [ { "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:17Z", "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pgph.0007464", "source": "plos", "url": "https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0007464" }, { "first_seen": "2026-10-31T00:20:33Z", "native_id": "MED:42949877", "source": "europepmc", "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42949877" }, { "first_seen": "2026-11-01T12:23:14Z", "native_id": "PMC13716197", "source": "pmc", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0007464" } ], "subjects": [ { "field": "biology", "origin": "heading:Biology and Life Sciences", "subfield": "general" }, { "field": "chemistry", "origin": "heading:Organic chemistry", "subfield": "organic" }, { "field": "medicine", "origin": "heading:Public and Occupational Health", "subfield": "epidemiology-public-health" }, { "field": "medicine", "origin": "plos:nutrition", "subfield": "nutrition" } ], "title": "Vitamin C deficiency in a Northern Saskatchewan Population, Canada", "title_text": "Vitamin C deficiency in a Northern Saskatchewan Population, Canada", "type": "peer-reviewed", "updated_at": "2026-11-01T12:23:14Z", "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5aspkbr5n0260", "venue": "PLOS Global Public Health", "versions": [] }