scholarly journals Capturing a Complexity of Nutritional, Environmental, and Economic Impacts on Selected Health Parameters in the Russian High North

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 2151
Author(s):  
Tianming Gao ◽  
Vasilii Erokhin

The rapid pace of economic exploration of the Arctic against the backdrop of progressing environmental change put a high priority on improving understanding of health impacts in the northern communities. Deficiencies in the capability to capture the complexity of health-influencing parameters along with a lack of observations in circumpolar territories present major challenges to establishing credible projections of disease incidence across varying northern environments. It is thus crucial to reveal the relative contributions of coacting factors to provide a basis for sustainable solutions in the sphere of public health. In order to better understand the adverse effects associated with public health, this study employed six-stage multiple regression analysis of incidence rates of fourteen diseases (International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) codes most widespread in the Russian Arctic) against a set of environmental, nutritional, and economic variables. Variance inflationary factor and best-subsets regression methods were used to eliminate collinearity between the parameters of regression models. To address the diversity of health impacts across northern environments, territories of the Arctic zone of Russia were categorized as (1) industrial sites, (2) urban agglomerations, (3) rural inland, and (4) coastline territories. It was suggested that, in Type 1 territories, public health parameters were most negatively affected by air and water pollution, in Type 2 territories—by low-nutrient diets, in Type 3 and Type 4 territories—by economic factors. It was found that in the Western parts of the Russian Arctic, poor quality of running water along with low access to the quality-assured sources of water might increase the exposure to infectious and parasitic diseases and diseases of the circulatory, respiratory, and genitourinary systems. Low living standards across the Russian Arctic challenged the economic accessibility of adequate diets. In the cities, the nutritional transition to low-quality cheap market food correlated with a higher incidence of digestive system disorders, immune diseases, and neoplasms. In indigenous communities, the prevalence of low diversified diets based on traditional food correlated with the increase in the incidence rates of nutritional and metabolic diseases.

Author(s):  
AS Shastin ◽  
VG Gazimova ◽  
OL Malykh ◽  
TS Ustyugova ◽  
TM Tsepilova

Introduction: In the context of a decreasing size of the working-age population, monitoring of the health status and disease incidence in this cohort shall be one of the most important tasks of public and occupational health professionals. Health risk management for the working population in the Russian Federation requires complete and reliable data on its morbidity, especially in view of the fact that its average age demonstrates a stable growth. It is, therefore, crucial to have precise and consistent information about the morbidity of the working-age population. Objective: The study aimed to assess incidence rates of diseases with temporary incapacity for work in the constituent entities of the Ural Federal District of the Russian Federation. Materials and methods: We reviewed data on disease incidence rates published by the Federal State Statistics Service in the Common Interdepartmental System of Statistical Information, Section 15.12, Causes of Temporary Disability, and Section 2.9.I.4, Federal Project for Public Health Promotion. The constituent entities under study were ranked according to the number of cases and days of temporary incapacity per 100 workers and E.L. Notkin scale was used to determine grade the incidence. The statistical analysis was performed using STATISTICA 10 software. Long-term average values of certain indicators, median values, standard deviation (σ) and coefficients of variation were estimated. The difference in the indices was assessed using the Mann-Whitney test. Results: Compared to 2010, incidence rates of diseases with temporary incapacity for work in the constituent entities of the Ural Federal District in 2019 demonstrated a significant decline. The sharp drop was observed in 2015. We also established that the Common Interdepartmental System of Statistical Information contains contradictory information on disease incidence. Conclusion: It is expedient to consider the issue of revising guidelines for organization of federal statistical monitoring of morbidity with temporary incapacity for work and to include this indicator in the system of public health monitoring.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 14
Author(s):  
Marya S. Rozanova ◽  
Valeriy L. Mikheev

This article examines women’s political empowerment in the Russian Arctic as an example of progress towards gender equality. In contrast to women’s severe underrepresentation in Russian federal politics, a strong trend towards women’s political empowerment can be observed in the Arctic regions of the country. Using the Nenets Autonomous Region as a case study, this article is aimed at narrowing the research gaps in women’s leadership by examining the representation of female deputies in both the regional and local levels of government/self-government. Research on women’s numerical representation indicates that women’s participation and political empowerment in decision-making processes are manifested most vividly in predominantly indigenous communities. Placing a special focus on these Arctic communities, this study describes the historical and institutional roots that impact shifts in traditional gender role and contribute to a phenomenon of indigenous women’s empowerment. Along with this positive pattern of women’s leadership, this study also reveals an alarming trend of “reverse gender disparity” concerning men’s severe underrepresentation in positions of power in indigenous communities of the North. The study results suggest that to achieve gender equality, a holistic approach to women’s empowerment requires taking into account socio-cultural and historical contexts, as well as regional and territorial disparities.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Readhead ◽  
Alicia H. Chang ◽  
Jo Kay Ghosh ◽  
Frank Sorvillo ◽  
Julie Higashi ◽  
...  

Abstract Background In Los Angeles County, the tuberculosis (TB) disease incidence rate is seven times higher among non-U.S.-born persons than U.S.-born persons and varies by country of birth. But translating these findings into public health action requires more granular information, especially considering that Los Angeles County is more than 4000 mile2. Local public health authorities may benefit from data on which areas of the county are most affected, yet these data remain largely unreported in part because of limitations of sparse data. We aimed to describe the spatial distribution of TB disease incidence in Los Angeles County while addressing challenges arising from sparse data and accounting for known cofactors. Methods Data on 5447 TB cases from Los Angeles County were combined with stratified population estimates available from the 2005–2011 Public Use Microdata Survey. TB disease incidence rates stratified by country of birth and Public Use Microdata Area were calculated and spatial smoothing was applied using a conditional autoregressive model. We used Bayesian Poisson models to investigate spatial patterns adjusting for age, sex, country of birth and years since initial arrival in the U.S. Results There were notable differences in the crude and spatially-smoothed maps of TB disease rates for high-risk subgroups, namely persons born in Mexico, Vietnam or the Philippines. Spatially-smoothed maps showed areas of high incidence in downtown Los Angeles and surrounding areas for persons born in the Philippines or Vietnam. Areas of high incidence were more dispersed for persons born in Mexico. Adjusted models suggested that the spatial distribution of TB disease could not be fully explained using age, sex, country of birth and years since initial arrival. Conclusions This study highlights areas of high TB incidence within Los Angeles County both for U.S.-born cases and for cases born in Mexico, Vietnam or the Philippines. It also highlights areas that had high incidence rates even when accounting for non-spatial error and country of birth, age, sex, and years since initial arrival in the U.S. Information on spatial distribution provided here complements other descriptions of local disease burden and may help focus ongoing efforts to scale up testing for TB infection and treatment among high-risk subgroups.


Elem Sci Anth ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daria Gritsenko ◽  
Hilma Salonen

Many Arctic communities are exposed to energy security risks. Remote settlements rely largely on diesel for energy production, which results in higher consumer prices, negative impacts on the environment and public health. In the past few years, pilot projects for switching remote villages from diesel-generated to wind- and solar-diesel hybrid power plants were realized across the Arctic. Renewable energy projects have a major potential to alleviate energy security risks, promote public health and better environment. Yet, renewable energy does not take hold easily in the Arctic region. Especially in Russia, significant subsidies for fossil fuel present a major disincentive, as well as perpetuate vested interests of national oil companies. Despite the Russian Arctic being a ‘hard case’ for renewables development, there has been both interest in and progress towards the uptake of renewable energy across the Russian Arctic regions. This article contributes to the ‘local turn’ in sustainable energy policy studies by exploring two intertwined questions: which factors contribute to renewable energy development in the Russian Arctic and how do these factors characterise differences between individual Arctic communities? Using a combination of exploratory factor analysis and correspondence analysis in application to the local level (municipal) data, we update the existing models of the factors contributing to renewable energy uptake and put forward four distinct community-level models that describe renewables uptake. We conclude by emphasizing the importance of the local perspective on sustainable energy as a key to explaining differences in observed policy outcomes.


2019 ◽  
pp. 26-33 ◽  

The aim of the study ­ identification of factors that ensure the vital activity of indigenous small­numbered peoples of the North in the Arctic, as well as the analysis of their impact on the preservation and development of the ethnic group. Identifying problems and assessing the prospects for the development of indigenous people consists of 3 stages: analysis of foreign and domestic sources, the results of scientific research teams; systematization of statistical data, including information on the dynamics of the development of indigenous people (number, employment in traditional activities); the impact assessing of legal, economic and social factors on the preservation and development of indigenous people. A comprehensive analysis of a wide range of legal, economic and social problems of ensuring the traditional life of indigenous people within the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation (AZRF) has shown the need to improve legislative, financial and managerial actions to preserve them as a specific community, adapted to the extremely severe conditions of permanent residence beyond the Arctic Circle and as a unique phenogenotype, whose activity is closely conjugated with the environmental state of the macroregion and in fact is entirely dependent on it. The exclusive role of indigenous peoples in preserving the natural complexes of the Arctic in the 21st century for future generations was emphasized. Under the conditions of proliferation of technogenic and anthropogenic burden on the natural complexes of the macroregion, associated with the intensive development of fuel and power resources, deposits of rare and precious metals, development of coastal transport infrastructure and a multiple increase in the population in the Russian Arctic with a creation of “stronghold areas” the threat of the indigenous peoples’ disappearance appeared (Enets ­ about 200 people remain and less than 100 people – the Votes). Under the conditions of a large­scale, integral impact of man­made, anthropogenic and climatic factors on indigenous communities in the Arctic, their life environment and traditional management the need for urgent adoption of a complex of specific and targeted legal, economic and social measures aimed at ensuring and preserving their livelihoods is obvious.


2021 ◽  
Vol 258 ◽  
pp. 05030
Author(s):  
Ishel Bianco ◽  
Alexander Illinskyi ◽  
Alexey Fadeev

Ecological monitoring provides a more complete picture of the possible effects of extractive activities for oil and Gas companies operating in the Russian Arctic and in other ecological sensitive areas. This paper proposes a framework to evaluate the adequacies of different monitoring systems for Operations in the Arctic for oil and Gas companies. Our research also demonstrates how Ecological monitoring could be a useful strategic tool for long term risk reduction, accident avoidance and to improve the socio-economic development for indigenous communities.


2019 ◽  
pp. 3-20
Author(s):  
V.N. Leksin

The impact on healthcare organization on the territory of Russian Arctic of unique natural and climatic, demographic, ethnic, settlement and professional factors of influencing the health of population, constantly or temporarily living on this territory is studied. The necessity is substantiated of various forms and resource provision with healthcare services such real and potential patients of Arctic medical institutions, as representatives of indigenous small peoples of the North, workers of mining and metallurgical industry, military personnel, sailors and shift workers. In this connection a correction of a number of All-Russian normative acts is proposed.


Author(s):  
L.M. Karamova ◽  
V.O. Krasovskiy ◽  
D.M. Vagapova ◽  
N.V. Vlasova ◽  
A.S. Khafizova ◽  
...  

Relevance. The importance of studying and analyzing contribution of occupational risk factors in musculoskeletal disorders among emergency medical personnel is related to high disease incidence rates and work specifics. The objective of our research envisaged formalization of information obtained for the analysis and assessment of occupational risks of developing musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders in ambulance personnel. Results. According to professional medical examination results, musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders ranked second among all diagnosed diseases. The relative risk of developing those disorders was 70% indicating the link between them and transport vibration (category 1) affecting the backbone during long trips in ambulance cars.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document