Determining factors causing disturbance of adaptation mechanisms in residents of radiocontaminated territories in the Ural region

Institute of Industrial Ecology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ural Branch, 20-a S. Kovalevskaya Str., Ekaterinburg 620219, Russia

Abstract

Work was carried out in the East-Ural Radioactive Trace area and the Techa river valley, to which liquid radioactive waste was drained. Data on the state of health and health loss risk factors for residents of these territories were gathered. With regard to the state of health, data are available of clinical examination by a medical specialist, with assessment of the state of organism principal systems (cardiovascular, bonemuscular, nervous, etc.), and data on human organism pre-nosologic indicators. With regard to the risk factors, data are available on single individuals' residence, bad habits, traits of character and way of life, unhealthy work conditions, etc. These data have been entered in a computer database listing 1500 individuals. The present report outlines the results of analysis of the effect of various risk factors on pre-nosologic indicators (indices of the state of human organism adaptation systems). It is shown that, for residents of the Techa river basin, maximum influence on disturbance of adaptation mechanisms ("Regulatory systems activity indicator", or RSAI) is exerted by such factors as: age, water supply characteristic, excessive weight. The fact of living on a radiocontaminated territory has no direct influence on RSAI; however, there are signs of indirect influence of the place of residence on RSAI, which are: varying dependence of RSAI on age in test and control groups, and combined effect of the water supply characteristic and place of residence on RSAI. In case of the inhabitants of the East-Ural Radioactive Trace area, there is revealed a noticeable influence of the accumulated dose on disturbance of adaptation mechanisms. Such influence has been detected within homogeneous population groups picked out by such features as: bad habits, harmful location factors, unfavourable conditions of work, etc.