Assessment of the Risk of Somatic Diseases among the Population Living in the Zone of Influence of Uranium Mining Enterprises: Bidirectional Cohort Study

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to assess the risk of the impact of technogenic factors of uranium mining enterprises on the health of the population living near the Syrdarya uranium ore province.
Materials and methods: the results of a bidirectional cohort study among residents living in the zone of influence of uranium mining enterprises – Bidaikol village of Kyzylorda region are presented.
Results: the prevalence of acute and chronic diseases among residents of Bidaikol village was 1.3 times higher than in the control group. Pathology of the genitourinary system (27%), diseases of the circulatory system (14.4%), diseases of the respiratory system (11.9%) prevailed in the structure of morbidity of the adult population. Relative risks > 1 were identified for most classes of diseases: the highest for diseases of the blood (RR=2.6), skin (RR=2.3) and genitourinary system (RR=1.9). Renal pathology in the main group prevailed in the age group of 30-40 years, occurred mainly in women and had a direct dependence on the duration of residence in the territory of the uranium ore province.
Conclusions: a higher morbidity rate of residents of settlements located near the operating uranium deposits of the Syrdarya uranium ore province with the prevalence of tubulointerstitial diseases of the genitourinary system was revealed.