MORBIDITY AMONG CHILDREN AGED 1 TO 14 YEARS IN THE REGIONS OF THE REPUBLIC OF TAJIKISTAN WITH HIGH BACKGROUND IONIZING RADIATION

• Published in: Паёми Сино
• Main Authors: M.M. MAKHMUDOVA, J.S. DODKHOEV, G.S. MAMADZHANOVA
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Avicenna Tajik State Medical University 2025-03-01
• Subjects: children; radiation; morbidity; respiratory diseases; digestive diseases.
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.25005/2074-0581-2025-27-1-65-74

Objective: Analysis of morbidity rates among children aged 1 to 14 years in the Republic of Tajikistan (RT) regions with high background ionizing radiation. Methods: Data were collected by reviewing the medical records from Form No. 63, titled "Developmental History of the Child", and from Statistical Observation Form No. 12, titled "Information on the Number of Diseases Registered in Patients Residing in the Service Area of a Medical Organization". This analysis focused on children aged 1 to 14 years from areas with variable levels of background ionizing radiation: high (0.50-0.98 mSv/hr) and normal (0.12-0.20 mSv/hour). The study covered the period from 2016 to 2020. The study group included data from 10,573 children in Istiklol, RT, while the control group contained data from 45,032 children in Istaravshan, RT. Patient population conditions were categorized using the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision (ICD-10) coding system. Patients were further divided into age subgroups: up to 5 years old and 5 years and older. Data were analyzed using the statistical package Statistica 12 (StatSoft Inc., Tulsa, OK, USA), Results: The analysis revealed that both groups experienced a predominance of diseases related to the respiratory system (J00-J99), digestive system (K00-K93), skin and subcutaneous tissue (L00-L99), hematopoietic organs (D50-D89), and the genitourinary system (N00-N99). Notably, the incidence of these diseases was significantly higher in the region with increased background radiation, particularly for respiratory and digestive system disorders. Additionally, the analysis indicated that infectious and inflammatory diseases were more frequently observed in children living in the area with elevated background radiation. Conclusion: Children living in areas with high levels of background radiation experience respiratory and digestive diseases at significantly greater rates than their peers in areas with normal levels of background radiation. These findings emphasize the importance of implementing measures to monitor and manage children's health in regions affected by radiation contamination.