Учредитель-федеральное государственное бюджетное образовательное учреждение высшего образования «Северный государственный медицинский университет» Министерства здравоохранения Российской Федерации Основан в 1994 году Основным направлением деятельности журнала является публикация научных исследований, посвященных проблемам экологии человека и имеющих как фундаментальное, так и прикладное значение. В журнале публикуются оригинальные статьи, обзоры и краткие сообщения по всем аспектам экологии человека и общественного здоровья. Предназначен для публикации материалов кандидатских и докторских диссертаций.

The aim of the study was to assess temporal trends in health risks related to most common persistent contaminants, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethanes (DDTs), lead (Pb), as well as mercury (Hg) among indigenous peoples living in coastal areas of Chukotka in Arctic Russia. This is examined in relation to exposure pathways and a range of social and behavioral factors capable of modifying the exposure to these contaminants, including place of residence, income, traditional subsistence, alcohol consumption, and awareness of risk prevention. The primary exposure pathway for PCBs is shown to be the intake of traditional foods, which explained as much as 90% of the total health risk calculated employing established risk guidelines. Nearly 50% of past DDT-related health risks also appear to have been contributed by contaminated indoor surfaces involving commonly used DDT-containing insecticides. Individuals who practiced traditional activities are shown to have experienced a 4.4-fold higher risk of exposure to PCBs and a 1.3-fold higher risk for DDTs, Pb, and Hg. Low income, high consumption of marine mammal fat, alcohol consumption, and lack of awareness of health risk prevention are attributed to a further 2- to 6-fold increase in the risk of PCBs exposure. Low socioeconomic status enhances the health risks associated with exposure to the persistent contaminants examined.

Minor towns with population size of 50-100 thousand people are much rarely studied in regards of the ecological-hygienic assessment of human environment, in spite of the fact that they are characterized by specific ecological problems. The objective of the study was the hygienic assessment of the impact of urban environment on population health status in Tikhvin and Gatchina towns of the Leningrad region. Morbidity rate in the population of Tikhvin and Gatchina in 2005-2015, atmospheric emissions of industrial enterprises, findings on monitoring for both atmospheric air pollution and centralized drinking water supply, as well as motor transport noise levels were studied. Population health risk stipulated by industrial emissions and noise exposure was calculated. Statistical data treatment with correlation analysis of the relationship between environmental pollution indices and population morbidity was carried out. The study revealed increased atmospheric air pollutant concentrations in Gatchina, which might be connected with motor transport effect. Acute non-carcinogenic risk levels resulting from air pollutants are on the borderline of the admissible level, while in Tikhvin town those values are significantly lower. Estimated concentrations of atmospheric pollutants produced by industrial emissions are by 1.5-2 times lower than the actual levels shown by monitoring. Noise levels and predicted health risks in Gatchina are on the borderline of the admissible level, while in Tikhvin they are significantly reduced. The statistically significant gain in the general primary morbidity rate indices due to respiratory diseases in Gatchina town, correlated with atmospheric air pollution, was revealed. Our study showed that despite the presence of large industrial enterprises in studied towns, motor transport proved to be the key factor that forms air pollution and noise load, more typical of large cities.

Purpose: to study the socioeconomic and behavioral risk factors of disabilities among indigenous population of Far North and make proposals for their prevention. Methods: The study tested the level of income, employment, education and alcohol consumption on the basis of the survey and analyzed the data of the official statistics. We used Statistica v.12 and IBM SPSS Statistics v.22 for calculating the chi-square, Wilcoxon signed- rank test criteria, T-test for paired samples and made regression and correlation analysis. Results: We did not discover significant differences in income levels, unemployment and alcohol consumption in the cohort study (2001-2010) of indigenous population in Chukotka Autonomous Region. In addition, the income of the natives is still low, unemployment and alcohol consumption are high. There is a correlation between the socioeconomic and behavioral factors and health indicators. We also propose a mathematical model which allows to suggest that the level of income above the subsistence level in 6-7 times is sufficient to minimize the impact of socioeconomic factors on population health. Conclusion: In order to prevent irreversible process of indigenous population health deterioration and society degradation it is necessary to create the accessible vocational education, increase employment and number of leisure centers. These measures will lead to income growth, increase in life expectancy and infant mortality decrease.

In the article, there have been presented literature data and given results of the authors’ own studies related to description of natural-climatic and anthropogenic health deterioration risk factors for population living in the Arctic. There have been singled out two main groups of risk factors specific for the Arctic regions.