[The use of surrogate alcohol by individuals with disorders related to alcohol abuse as exemplified by the subject of The Russian Federation].

The purpose of the study was to describe the types of non-beverage alcohol consumed, to evaluate socio-demographic factors associated with its use and to establish effectiveness of the alcohol policy measures taken since 2005 and targeted on reducing non-beverage alcohol consumption. From December 2015 to April 2017, 302 patients of the narcological dispensary were interviewed. The prevalence of non-beverage alcohol drinking among those who reported on their non-beverage alcohol consumption status amounted to 75.8% among males and 57.7% among females. The highest prevalence of non-beverage alcohol consumption (86.9%) was identified among males employed in irregular paid work. According to multivariate analysis, the factors positively associated with the use of non-beverage alcohol were male gender (OR 2.48, 95% CI 1.14-5.43), employment on irregular paid work (or 5.0, 95% CI 2.16-11.56), unemployment in case of seeking work (or 3.55, 95% CI 1.45-8.71), unemployment in case of non-seeking work (OR 3.90, 95% CI 1.09-13.95). The types of non-beverage alcohol used for drinking included medicinal tinctures in 25, 40 and 100 ml vials, spirit cosmetic lotions, colognes, technical/medical ethanol, hygienic spirit solutions, alcohol-containing food flavor enhancers. The lower price as compared with conventional alcoholic beverages was indicated as main reason of non-beverage alcohol consumption (61.7%). The enhancement of previously introduced restrictive measures as well as the implementation of new legislative initiatives are required for more effective control of non-beverage alcohol consumption.

[APPLICATION OF BIOMONITORING METHODOLOGY FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF EXPOSURE TO ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS].

In this article there are presented the current views on the technology for the assessment of the exposure to chemical pollutants with the use of the methodology of human biomonitoring and the main advantages of the latter are highlighted. There are presented main problems of the implementation of biomonitoring studies in Russia such as: beginning with the lack of the national system of the biomonitoring, and accomplishing with the inconsistency in the data within the country, the inability to assess the trend according to levels of exposure in the regional or national context. Due to the inconvenience of the Russian regulatory basis on human biomonitoring, there is persisted technological backwardness in terms of the delivery of the design, presentation and evaluation of research results, which results in the decline of the significance of biomonitoring for public health in the country. There is preserved a need for standardization and harmonization of methods and procedures of human biomonitoring (HBM) in Russia with international requirements. A serious concern is the lack of Russian programs on standardization of procedures and interlaboratcy comparison of results according to biomarkers of the exposure, the insufficient involvement of national laboratories in international programs of the comparison, the difficulties with the acquisition of standard samples of the compositionfor different environmental pollutants in biological tissues. The restraint ofthe development of HBM in the Russian Federation is caused by a complex of reasons. The most urgent task is the development of the national concept of the system with subsequent formation of technological, institutional and organizational framework of biomonitoring, as well as the improvement of Russian normative-methodical base.

[Application of a standardized-human biomonitoring methodology to assess prenatal exposure to mercury].

World Health Organization (WHO), in cooperation with the Consortium to Perform Human Biomonitoring on a European Scale (COPHES), has developed a standardized methodology for human biomonitoring (HBM) surveys in maternities in order to assess prenatal exposure to mercury. To test this standard methodology and adapt it to Russian settings, a cross-sectional HBM survey involving 120 parturient women was conducted in six maternities of the Moscow Region. Levels of total mercury in maternal hair (geometric mean: 0.21 µg/g, 95th percentile: 0.54 µg/g), cord blood (0.89 µg/L and 2.38 µg/L, respectively) and maternal urine (0.27 µg/L and 0.94 µg/L) in this population were similar to those in other European countries with relatively low fish consumption. Consumption of all types of fish at least once per week during the third trimester of pregnancy compared to fish consumption less than once per month was associated with the increase of geometric mean level of total mercury: in hair by 31% (95% confidence interval: 4%, 66%) higher, in cord blood--by 38% (9%, 74%) and in maternal urine--by 36% (2%, 81%). No biomarker values exceeded levels recommended by WHO or national agencies in the USA and Germany. However; at the population level, adverse effects of prenatal exposures to mercury can still be substantial.

Thyroid ultrasound findings 7 years after the Chernobyl accident. A comparative epidemiological study in the Bryansk region of Russia.

AIMS: The accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power station occurred in April 1986. We report on a comparative epidemiological study on thyroid abnormalities in the contaminated and uncontaminated populations of the Bryansk region, South-West Russia, in 1993, 7 years after the accident. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study material consisted of all inhabitants aged 3-34 years in the contaminated village of Mirnyi and in the uncontaminated village of Krasnyi Rog, excluding those who had moved to the villages after the accident. The total material comprised 302 inhabitants in Mirnyi and 200 in Krasnyi Rog. RESULTS: No pathological US findings in either village were found in children born after the accident. In the age group 0-9 years old at the time of the accident, the prevalence of thyroid abnormalities was 8.1% in the contaminated village compared to 1.6% in the uncontaminated village. In the age group 10-27 years the corresponding figures were 18.8% and 17.7%. Only 55% of the pathological US findings were detected by physical palpation. CONCLUSION: The total prevalence of thyroid abnormalities was higher among children in the contaminated village. We recommend an active screening of young contaminated subjects with US, supplemented with fine needle biopsy.

The Chernobyl accident and mental wellbeing--a population study.

We studied the long-term effects of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident on mental wellbeing 7 years after the event. Mental wellbeing was assessed using a 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). The study group comprised 325 persons (aged 15-54 years) who had continued to live in the high-fallout area in Bryansk, Russian Federation, classified as a strict control zone with respect to the level of fallout and subsequent radiation protection countermeasures. The control group comprised 278 persons living in a noncontaminated area. The mental wellbeing of women in the study group was poorer than in controls (age-adjusted means). Based on the GHQ score, a minor mental disorder was detected in 48% of the women in the study group and 34% of the female controls. The corresponding figures for men were 26% and 28%, respectively. Those living with a partner coped better mentally than the others. The level of education was not associated with the GHQ score. Poor financial situation and self-rated poor health were associated with a high GHQ score. Fifty-nine per cent of the study group and 14% of the control group wanted to move away from the area of residence, but it was not associated with GHQ score. In a logistic regression analysis, independent factors explaining the GHQ score in the study group were uncertainty about the future in the men and, in addition, poor financial situation and insufficient social support in the women. According the results, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident impaired the long-term mental wellbeing of women living in the contaminated area.

Epidemiology of atherogenic dyslipoproteinaemias in pubertal children (a prospective study).

The study presents the results of a two-year prospective study of a random representative sample of 772 Moscow pupils, aged 10-13 years. Response rate at entry was 95%, one year later--83%, and 80% two years later. The epidemiological situation regarding various atherogenic dyslipoproteinaemias in pubertal children was studied. The most threatening, i.e., stable dyslipoproteinaemias were detected most often in children with an increased number of risk factors of ischaemic heart disease. Dyslipoproteinaemia stabilization is affected mainly by physical and sexual development of children and their physical activity. These findings can be used for targeted non-medicamentous prevention in pubertal children.

Epidemiological characteristics of dyslipoproteinaemia and certain other risk factors of atherosclerosis and ischaemic heart disease in 11- and 14-year children in different climatogeographic zones. Results of a cooperative study.

The authors compare the prevalence of risk factors of atherosclerosis and ischaemic heart disease (dyslipoproteinaemia, elevated arterial pressure, overweight, smoking, low physical activity) in representative samples of 11- and 14-year old school-children in Moscow, Novosibirsk and Tallin. The number of pupils subjected to medical examination totalled 3369; the respondence rate was 87-92%. There appeared a number of regional differences: the study in Moscow showed the highest prevalence of elevated arterial pressure and overweight, in Novosibirsk - hypertriglyceridaemia, in Tallin - hypercholesterolaemia. The most unfavourable situation was registered in school-children in Novosibirks. The authors conclude that when planning preventive measures among the population it is necessary to take into account regional specificities and differences in the intensity of risk factors in children populations.