BACKGROUND: Low availability of medical care and low level of comfort living in rural areas, underdeveloped infrastructure, and difficult working conditions lead to the deterioration of health of rural residents. Rural areas are characterized by less comfortable living conditions than in the city, which can affect health-related quality of life. AIM: The purpose of this study was to assess the satisfaction of the population with the quality of life in rural areas as well as to study the quality of life of the rural population of the Republic of Kazakhstan related to health. METHODS: This study was a one-stage cross-sectional study. Online questionnaire was asked by 411 local residents, of which only 302 were suitable for processing. RESULTS: The results showed that almost a third of the respondents are unemployed (27.2%). In the course of the survey, respondents could subjectively assess their own health, for example, almost a third of respondents (35.76%) assess their health as “poor” and “below average.” At the same time, 18.21% of respondents are not satisfied with the quality of medical services provided in rural areas. The coefficients of correlation between the desire to move to the city and age, income level, family composition, marital status, and type of housing were established. The universal social functioning-36 index was 0.6 (±0.02) for women and 0.55 (±0.033) for men CONCLUSIONS: We can say that the quality of life of the rural population remains quite low. This is evidenced by low income, high unemployment, and the problem of drinking water. Quarantine measures related to COVID-19 also had an impact on the increase in unemployment, however, during the quarantine, there is a deterioration in mental health indicators among men compared to women. The results of the study confirmed that the issue of accessibility of medical services remains very urgent for rural residents.

Background: Chronic hepatitis B virus (CHB) infection is one of the most common liver infections worldwide. Approximately 240 million patients are diagnosed with CHB. The objective of this meta-analysis was to identify the effect of CHB on the affected patients’ health-related quality of life and compare with the control group. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted through PubMed, Medline, ProQuest, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Clinicaltrials.gov, and Web of Science databases up to Jul 2022. Results: Five primary observational studies using SF-36 and WHOQOL surveys with 1135 participants (646 with CHB and 489 healthy individuals) included in the meta-analysis. We evaluated the scores of physical and mental component summaries. HRQoL was comparable in both groups. The disease's impact appears to slightly affect the mental component summary than the physical component summary. Conclusion: The HRQoL in CHB patients is mainly reflected in the impairment of the mental aspect. It is vital to focus on optimally managing care, family and social support, stress management.

Maintaining optimal nutritional status is important for children with cancer because it can affect clinical outcomes. This study aimed to prospectively study clinical practices in children's cancer departments to improve the nutritional health of children and adolescents receiving cancer treatment. Currently, there are no unified and harmonized protocols for assessing the nutritional status and nutritional support of children in pediatric wards in Kazakhstan. According to WHO research, most of the children admitted to hospitals already have significant nutritional status disorders, such as exhaustion and malnutrition, lipid metabolism disorders, hypovitaminosis and anemia. 200 children with cancer aged 6 months to 17 years (n=200) were recruited. Dietary data and other relevant anthropometric and biochemical data were collected using a data collection form validated and developed by the researchers. Data processing is still in progress. They were randomly allocated either to a treatment group or a control group (age-matched and gender matched). The treatment group received nutritional advice and support and the control group received the standard treatment. A significant decrease in the intake of protein and energy with the consumed diets, which are prescribed by doctors in daily practice, was revealed, which is a risk factor for the development of severe nutritional disorders (p>0.5). Patients who were assigned nutritional support in addition to the General diets during the study had higher nutrient intake. Comparing week zero with subsequent weeks of nutritional support, children in the main group showed significant improvements in the thickness of the triceps skin fold (P<0.001), the circumference of the middle shoulder (P<0.001), and the circumference of the arm muscles (P<0.001), showing that performing nutritional support is better for the evolution of nutrition (P<0.01). Proper use of nutritional support in children with cancer can prevent the development of nutritional deficiencies and associated risks. To improve nutrition management, attention should be paid to nutrition education and assessment tools for doctors and nurses.