Problems of Radiation Medicine and Radiobiology

N. V. Gunko, O. M. Ivanova, K. M. Loganovsky, N. V. Korotkova, S. V. Masiuk

State Institution «National Research Center for Radiation Medicine of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine», 53 Yuriia Illienka Str., Kyiv, 04050, Ukraine

SOME ISSUES OF LIFE ACTIVITIES OF POPULATION IN THE CHORNOBYL EXCLUSION ZONE IN UKRAINE

Background. Radiation accidents at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (USSR, 1986) and Fukushima-1 (Japan, 2011) have shown that global environmental contamination is an intervention in normal human life making negative effect on population health. These accidents highlighted a number of statutory and regulatory both with medical and social problems for individuals, who returned voluntarily for permanent residence in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone i.e. a radiation-hazardous area (they are named the «self-settlers»).
Objective: generalization of experience in the settlement of normative-legal, ecological-dosimetric and medicosocial life issues of population living in the Chornobyl NPP (ChNPP) Exclusion Zone («self-settlers»).
Object and methods. The chosen problem is complex, necessitating the generalization of radiation-hygienic, medical-biological, socio-economic, demographic and sociological research results obtained by the national and foreign authors. A set of theoretical research and analysis of empirical data methods on the principles of interdisciplinary interaction was used; the systematic, legal, economic, medical-biological, demographic and retrospective-dosimetric approaches of research were applied.
Results. It was shown that a part of population refused to evacuate or had returned for permanent residence to the radiation-hazardous lands after the ChNPP accident. In 1986–2009 the number of «self-settlers» ranged from 150 to 2,000 in different years. In 2021 – the 101 people. Those were mainly people of working age, mostly females, single people or widows/widowers. Рrevious medical and dosimetric studies have shown that long-term residence in the Exclusion Zone affects physical and mental health of «self-settlers» and causes atypical aging, including involvement of the central nervous system. According to calculations, the average effective total radiation dose accumulated by «self-settlers» for the first 3 years was 30 % of dose for the entire post-accident period, and the dose accumulated over 20 years was 54 % of the dose accumulated over 35 years. But the effective radiation doses accumulated in different periods after the accident differ significantly in residents of different Exclusion Zone settlements. This information needs further study in terms of the «radiation dose - health status» dependence.
Conclusions. The effective radiation doses accumulated in different periods after the accident differ significantly in the residents of different Exclusion Zone settlements. Тhe average effective total radiation dose accumulated by «self-settlers» for the first 3 years was 30 % of the dose for the entire post-accident period, and the dose accumulated over 20 years was 54 % of the dose accumulated over 35 years.
  The Scientific Council meeting of NAMS approved the NRCRM Annual Report.
Key words: Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Exclusion Zone, «self-settlers», radiation doses, health.

Problems of Radiation Medicine and Radiobiology.
2021;26:141-161. doi: 10.33145/2304-8336-2021-26-141-161

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