Postaccident changes in health status of the Chornobyl cleanup workers 1986–1987 (Period of observation 1988–2012)

Abstract

Objective. To determine postaccident changes in health status of the Chornobyl cleanup workers 1986–1987, peculiarities of nontumor incidence. Materials and methods. Long-term cohort epidemiological study (period of observation 1988–2012) has been conducted using data of the State Registry of Ukraine of Persons Affected by the Chornobyl Accident. Study cohort – 196,423 males-participants of the Chornobyl recovery operations in 1986–1987. Epidemiological and mathematical-and-statistical methods were used. Results. We have found a dramatic deterioration of the Chornobyl cleanup workers’ health due to the growth of wide range of nontumor diseases, especially circulatory, digestive, respiratory, endocrine, genitourinary and nervous system diseases. In postaccident period, disability and mortality have increased significantly due to nontumor diseases. Circulatory diseases make major contribution to the structure of causes of disability and death. When studying the dynamics of nontumor incidence, we have found that in 1988–1992 the highest, throughout postaccident period, rate of mental and behavioral disorders, diseases o f the nervous system was mainly due to disorders of the autonomic nervous system. Since 1993–1997, rate of this pathology has significantly reduced and remained stable in subsequent years of observation. Thus, we can assume that in the early postaccident period, stress factor in combination with radiation one had the greatest impact on health of cleanup workers, resulting in the development of other nontumor diseases in the remote postaccident period. Conclusions: The study revealed an evident increase in nontumor incidence, disability and mortality from nontumor diseases among Chornobyl cleanup workers 1986–1987; the highest rate of nontumor incidence was observed 12–21 years after the Chornobyl accident.