Health Impact Assessment of the Mining Industry / Монголын Анагаах Ухаан

@#Health impact assessment is a means of evidence-based policy-making for improvement in health. It is a combination of methods whose aim is to assess the health consequences to a population of a policy, project, or program that does not necessarily have health as its primary objective. It is described as being “the leading global network on best practice in the use of impact assessment for informed decision-making regarding policies, programs, plans and projects”. In recent years, much evidence was revealed that the mining, metal mining, and processing industry has a greatly impact on humans. Residing population has affected directly and indirectly influenced to the health and wellbeing of human. </br>The mining, metal mining and processing industries play an important role in the economic and social development of Mongolia. With the rapid development of the mining industry in Mongolia, environmental protection and environmental rehabilitation have become a priority. Currently, there are 27 laws governing environmental legal acts in our country, and chapter 3 of the Hygiene Law covers environmental and health impact assessment. As stated the implementation of the law shall be financed from the state and local budgets, the central state administrative organization and the Governor at the appropriate level shall order the relevant professional organizations to carry out environmental research and analysis work and to develop projects, and in addition to financing with budget funds, as well as conducting research with their funds for interested citizens, enterprises, and organizations were are arrangements to support the implementation of the laws and its regulation. </br>However, Within the scope of the Law on Environmental Protection and Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment Procedures, the negative impact on the environment is identified but in the area of health impact, it is a lack of information on how the activities are conducted, and health impact assessments are not conducted according to procedures and methods. Thus, there are need to conduct health impact assessments of the mining area and its affected population.

Correlation between 0-5 year old children’s diarrheal infections and soil bacterial contamination in Ulaanbaatar city / Монголын Анагаах Ухаан

Background@#The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development offers an historic opportunity to set a new course for the next era for significant changes for children and their families, with water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) is at the centre of this ambitious new agenda, with a distinct water sector goal (SDG 6) that aims for universal, sustainable, affordable and equitable access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation and hygiene, as well as the elimination of open defecation by 2030. According to the data of the National Statistics Office of Mongolia, the total population of the country is 3,036,988 of which 1.3 million inhabit in Ulaanbaatar with over 60 percent of them living in the ger districts. Sanitation facilities which fail to meet the hygiene requirements are used by 97.3 percent of the ger-district households.@*Materials and Methods@#The research was implemented using laboratory test methods following the cross-sectional model. In the ger communities of the 9 districts of Ulaanbaatar, 111 sites were selected for soil sampling in July, August and September of 2016 with 3 repetitions. The samples were tested in the reference laboratory of the Public Health Institute, titres of E.Coli and quantities of Protei were defined and assessed in comparison against the normative levels provided in the Standard MNS 3297:91 “Environmental protection. Soil. The indicators of norm sanitation condition for soil communities.@*Results@#The findings of the study show that the most or 79.2 percent (225) of the sites where E.Coli was detected had low level of contamination, 18.3 percent (52) had moderate contamination and 2.1 percent (7) had high level of contamination. By locations of soil sampling for E.Coli detection, 588.74 titres were counted in the samples from near the ger-district service centres which was the highest among other locations and 5.88 times exceeded the mean contamination category of MNS3291:91 Standard as much as 5.88 times. The E.Coli contamination in the samples taken from near the main roads and gas stations were higher than the Submitted abstract International expert consultation on sanitation in cold climate 148 mean standard category (100-1000) by 16 points, but still lower than at the other locations (p=0.22). The mean value of the Proteus titres from July, August and September in the soil samples from the proximities of the car and tyre repair shops and car wash centres was higher than at other locations and would fall within the high contamination category according to the Standard. The 1.0 percent of the causes of diarrhea in small children in ger areas in UB is E.Coli in the topsoil. But the total number of bacteria in soil accounts for the 2.1 percent of the causes of diarrhea in small children.@*Conclusions@#</br> 1. Thesurficial soil of the ger-districts in city Ulaanbaatar are getting contaminated due to human and animal excreta and pit latrines which do not meet the hygiene requirements.</br> 2. Pollution of soil pathogenic microorganisms affects the diarrheal infection in children from ger areas in Ulaanbaatar.

Studies on chemical and bacterial contamination of soil in Ulaanbaatar / Монголын Анагаах Ухаан

The results of studies on heavy metal and bacterial contamination in Ulaanbaatar since 1990 have beensummed up in this abstract. In the recent years, soil pollution has increased due to rising number ofpopulation, especially in ger districts, factories and services in Ulaanbaatar. According to some surveys,pollution indicators of lead, arsenic and bacterial contamination in soil have exceedednationalstandardlevel.

Findings of study of knowledge and attitude on health promoting workplaces of Khentii aimag / Монголын Анагаах Ухаан

BackgroundThe target group of the project, working age population, is more vulnerably exposed to the risk factors of NCDs due to deficiency of physical activities, stress, unhealthy eating, etc. The current study was carried out to assess the knowledge and attitude on health promoting workplaces among the employees of public and non-governmental organizations and businesses operating in Kherlen soum of Khentii aimag, identify their needs and make conclusions.Materials and MethodsThe cross-sectional study used questionnaires for 195 employees of 10 public agencies and 3 business entities of Kherlen soum of Khentii aimag, focus group discussions among 32 employees and individual interviews with 13 managing officials.ResultsWomen composed 38% (74 persons) and men composed 62% (121 persons) of the participants of the study. As for the duration of the service, 115 people or 58.7% have served for 1-10 years, 49 people or 25% have served for 11-20 years, 21 persons or 10.7% have served for 21-30 years and 6 persons or 3.1% have worked for 30 years. As for the knowledge of health promoting workplaces, the absolute majority of the participants demonstrated medium or low level of knowledge with statistical significance (p<0.01) among ages, with women demonstrating higher level of knowledge and increasing trend with the years of work. Absolute majority of the participants of the qualitative survey answered that possess insufficient information of health promoting workplaces. Majority or 54.2% (105) of the participants understand health promoting workplaces as provision of working conditions and organization of preventive health check ups. Creating healthy workplaces will have no negativeimpact but increased productivity, higher morale, better wellness, according to the respondents. Job satisfaction as an impact of health promotion at workplace was supported by 48.4% of the employees at 20-30 years age and 54.2% of the employees who have served for 11-20 years. 57.7% (112) of the respondents disagree that their workplaces created health promoting conditions. The knowledge of the majority of the participants in insufficient as 89.3% answer that WHP is provision of healthy environment for working. Health promotion is not implemented sufficiently at the policy level and is limited merely to improvement of physical environment and solution of social problems, with insufficient behavior targeting actions and participation of employees in health promoting activities.Conclusions:1. The knowledge on health promoting workplaces is insufficient.2. The answers of the respondents that lack of health promotion at workplaces will reduce productivity (69.2%) and adversely affect the health of the employees (44.7%) demonstrate the need in WHP.3. The further activities necessary for further development of health promoting workplaces were identified as provision of comprehensive knowledge, cooperation with professional organizations and learn from experiences of health promoting workplace models, mutual learning and solution of the financial issues.

Relationship between respiratory and circulatory diseases among adults and air temperature / Монголын Анагаах Ухаан

BackgroundHuman-induced climate change will affect the lives of most populations in the next decade and beyond. The impact of meteorological conditions on human health has been reported globally. There is a need to conduct surveys for correlation between climate change and human health.GoalTo study the impact of air temperature on human health in selected aimags and city districts.Materials and MethodsIn order to study how climate change and air quality parameters affect human health we selected Zavhan, Selenge, Dornod, and Umnugobi aimags which represent different climate zones and 2 districts of Ulaanbaatar city during 2009-2011. All data for respiratory system disease J00-J99, circulatory system disease I00-I99, were collected from soum, district’s hospital, and aimag and soum’s Department of health.ResultsDuring the study period, a total number of 8649 incidences of respiratory disease are registered. From them 74.2 percent are influenza and pneumonia (J09-J18), 17.6 percent are other acute lower respiratory infections (J20- J22), and 8.2 percent are asthma (J45-J45.9). For cardiovascular disease 15288 incidences are registered. From them 65.6 percent are hypertensive disease (I10-I15), 23.6 percent are ischemic heart disease, and 10.8 percent are cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69). The lower the air temperature, higher the incidence of influenza and pneumonia, acute lower respiratory infections, hypertensive, and ischemic heart disease.ConclusionsCold weather is correlated with a higher incidence of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Results of Study of Mongolian Pupil’s Learning Abilities / Монголын Анагаах Ухаан

INTRODUSTION: There have been limited research studies done in Mongolia on health status of children in relation to density of children in school classrooms.GOAL: This study aims to evaluate learning ability of children in Mongolia and develop recommendations for next intervention measures.MATERIALS AN METHODS: A total of 1440 children were surveyed in a cross sectional study that included 6 classes from 6 secondary schools of UB city, Uvurhangai and Dornod aimags. The test of letter drawing created by of V.Ya.Anfi mova was used to evaluate the pupil’s learning skills. This test was performed at the fi rst and last classes in each day of which was tested at the beginning (I quarter or September) and end (IV quarter or May) of the academic year.For each tests we accounted the mean of drawing letter, mean of mistake for 500 letter and standard deviation.RESULTS: The results of pupil’s letter drawing tests were compared by quarter for fi rst and last classes in each day. Pupil’s learning ability of class 4 was enough while other classes were not enough (P index 1) on the fi rst and last tests.CONCLUSION: Pupil’s learning ability has been changed by the same way of physiological adaptation process of child.Pupil’s learning ability had been decreased in last tests of each day and on Friday which was revealed by letter drawing test.Pupil’s learning ability of classes between 4 to 9 were not enough on the fi rst term while 4th class was good enough on the forth term (P index 1).

The Hygienic Assessment of Secondary School of Organization of Teaching and Educational Activity, Chemical and Bacterial Contamination On Teaching Environment / Монголын Анагаах Ухаан

NEED FOR STUDY AND GOAL: There is no data available on pupil’s health with relation to the school environmental condition and organization of educational activities in Mongolia. Therefore, the goal of the study was to assess organization of the educational activities and conduct hygienic assessment of chemical and bacteriological contamination in the school environment.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 1440 children were surveyed in this cross sectional study from the 6 secondary schools of UB city, Uvurhangai and Dornod aimags.Hygiene conditions of school was assessed and organization of educational activities evaluated by class timetable and pupil’s notes of daily regime.RESULT: Timetable of lessons: It was observed that in some cases teachers’ taught to primary pupils Mathematics and Mongolian language for 2 sequential hours, depending on some indexes such as lesson content, capacity and student’s activity. According to timetable of lessons of the secondary schools, pupils have lessons for 32-34 hours in a week. It was revealed that most schools have 2-3 hours more than standard timetable and heavy lessons were taught for 2-3 sequential hours. For the secondary classes, average length of classes was 32-34 hours in a week which indicates 2-3 hours longer timetable. There was no special place for physical training and movement games etc where pupil can do physical exercise, relax and enjoy school life. DAILY REGIME: pupils have been spending most of their time watching TV and listening music and spending few hours to help housework, to read a book and to prepare meal. Urban pupils spent total of 0.5-1 hour for coming to school and going to home but rural pupils spent 20-30 minutes approximately. RESULT OF THE LABORATORY ANALYSIS: The bacteriological analysis of 36 classes in schools showed that before lesson, 94.4% of classes were clean while 5.6% was contaminated in first season of school year. After the lesson, percentage of classes without contamination had been dropped to 88.8% and classes with contamination had been increased to 11.2%. In the 4th season of school year, before lesson 61.6% of classes was clean and 16.6% was contaminated and 22.3% was highly contaminated. Moreover, after the lesson, classes without contamination had been dropped to 27.7% while 72.3% was at high level contamination.CONCLUSION: 1. Time table of lessons and break time management is inadequate in the schools and 32-39.1% of pupils do not follow the daily regime. 2. In the end of day, chemical and bacteriological contamination increased in the classes.