International Union for Circumpolar Health Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of RF Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences Medical Polar Fund “Science” The Northern Forum

Abstracts

Ethnic peculiarities of the North native inhabitants health

The following features can be considered as regional features of the Nenets autonomous area (NAA) that influence the population health and make organization of medical care difficult: severe natural-climatic conditions, vast territories; nomadic life of the Northern peoples small in number; irregular development of the network of health institutions. One of the reasons exerting unfavorable influence on child health is iodine deficiency. The long-term monitoring of infant mortality among the native population shows that infant mortality of the Nenets children exceeds 1,5-2 times the average total indices of infant mortality in the NAA.

Materials and methods. A study has been carried out of the degree of iodine deficiency pronouncedness, prevalence of endemic goiter and neonatal hyperthyrotrophinemia in the area (clinical examination of 132 Nenets and Russian children at the antepuberal age from 7 to 11 y.o., thyroid sonography, ioduria mediana, screening of congenital hyperthyroidism during 10 years). During the expeditions to reindeer brigades, health state of 176 children and adolescents has been studied. The parameters of cardiac rhythm variability in 26 nomadic Nenets children at the age 14-16 y.o. and 28 settlement Russian children have been studied with the help of the apparatus-program complex «Varikard».

Results. The degree of iodine deficiency pronouncedness in the Russian children was described by the index of ioduria mediana 60,8 mkg/l (in 67% of children, ioduria level was 50-100 mkg/l) what points at slight iodine deficiency, and in the Nenets children – 44,9 mkg/l, in other words, moderate iodine deficiency. Despite the differences in iodine provision, in the children of both nationalities, thyromegalia was absent and goiter was registered poradically. According to the indicator of neonatal hyperthyrotrophinemia, strumous endemia corresponds to the moderate degree of seriousness.

During the analysis of cardiac rhythm variability, it has been established that strain index (SI) in of the reindeer breeders’ children did not differ from the index of the Russian children. The total effect of vegetative control (SKO) and the total absolute level of control systems’ activity (ТР) was more pronounced in the Nenets children. In the Nenets children, the index of activity of the parasympathetic link (HFP) was higher than the parameter of sympathetic control (LFP). The relative activity levels of the central ergotropic systems (VLFP) were statistically equal. In 56,3% of the nomadic adolescents, a pronounced strain of the control systems of the organism has been revealed.

In the structure of the revealed pathology in the nomadic children and adolescents, diseases of the locomotor system (in 13,6 % of the examined persons), diseases of the respiratory system (9,9 %), diseases of respiratory organs (6,2 %), functional diseases of the cardiovascular system (6,2 %) and the vegetative nervous system prevailed.

Conclusion. During complex evaluation of health of the native population children in the far North, it is necessary to take into account regional and ethnic features.

Note. Abstracts are published in author's edition

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Last update: 06-Jul-2012 (11:52:05)