STRUCTURE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CHORNOBYL NPP ACCIDENT VICTIMS ACCORDING TO THE MATERIALS OF MEDICAL EXPERTISE OF THE CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP OF DISEASES WITH THE EFFECT OF IONIZING RADIATION IN THE REMOTE POSTACCIDENTAL PERIOD (2023 year)
Authors:   State Institution «National Research Center for Radiation Medicine of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine», Sushko V. O. , Kolosynska O. O. ,   State Institution «National Research Center for Radiation Medicine of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine»
Published: December 2023

Loss of health and workability, as well as deaths due to harmful influence of the Chornobyl catastrophe (including radiation exposure) during performance of professional, military or official duties and / or living on radiation-contaminated areas, additional exposure not through their own fault but due to a radiation accident, caused the development of a special form of medical expertise as part of the of medical social protection system for these suffered contingents. Objective. To study and characterize the structure of the affected categories (clean-up workers and victims) of the Chornobyl catastrophe based on the materials of expert cases of the Central Interdepartmental Expert Commission of Ministry of Health of Ukraine (CIEC) in the remote post-accidental period (2013–2023). Material and methods. The work was performed in the design of a retrospective study that based on analysis of the structure of all categories of Chornobyl NPP accident (ChNPP) victims during 2008–2023 years and studying of more 57 000 medical expert cases, which were considered by CIEC during 2013–2022 to establish a causal relationship between the disease and influence of radiation exposure and other harmful factors and conditions during ChNPP accident. Results. The total number of affected adult citizens as on 01.01.2023, compared to 2008, decreased by 511,877 persons, or by 27.90 % (from 1,834,536 to 1,322,659 persons). The number of clean-up workers of the accident decreased from 276,327 (2008) to 162,180 (2023), or by 114,147 people (41.30 %), that means – during the last 15 years, almost every third-second clean-up worker who participated in the liquidation of the consequences of the accident at the ChNPP died. The number of adult victims decreased from 1,558,209 in 2008 to 1,160,479 in 2023, or by 25.52 % (397,730 persons). In the structure of medical expert cases during 2013–2022 the leading place as the reason of disease, disability and death is occupied by oncological diseases – 60.3 %, cerebrovascular diseases and their complications make up 10.00 %, diseases of the cardiovascular system – 19.6 %. Conclusion: In the remote post-accidental period (2013–2023) has increased the need of expertise of the causal relationship of disability and the causes of death with the influence of the ChNPP accident consequences for medical and social support. During 2013–2023 period quick reducing for all categories of affected due to the Chornobyl NPP accident taken place. In the structure of medical expert cases during 2013–2023 the leading place as the reason of disease, disability and death is occupied by oncological, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Key words: NRCRM, Chornobyl, radiation effects, epidemiology, radiation hygiene, treatment of victims, international cooperation, personnel.