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N. V. Gunko1, V. M. Postrelko2, N. V. Korotkova1, D. O. Bilyi2, O. S. Dubova1
1State Institution «National Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Hematology and Oncology of the
National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine», 53 Yuriia Illienka St., Kyiv, 04050, Ukraine
2Private Higher Education Institution «International Academy of Ecology and Medicine», 121
Kharkivske Highway, Kyiv, 03187, Ukraine
IMPACT OF ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION ON HEALTH OF PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE CHORNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT ACCIDENT
Background. Alcohol abuse is one of the public health problems in the world and Ukraine, but with significant
attention to the health status of Chornobyl NPP accident clean-up workers (ACWs), studies on their mortality and
disability from toxic effect of alcohol have not been found.
Objective: retrospective analysis of data from Ukraine’s State Register of Persons Affected by the Chornobyl Disaster
(SRU) for 1987–2017 on mortality and disability from toxic effect of alcohol (ICD-10 codes T51.0–T51.9; ICD-9
codes 980.0–980.9) among the ACWs who were under medical supervision at healthcare facilities of the Ministry of
Health of Ukraine.
Study object and methods. Object: deaths from toxic effect of alcohol among the ACWs and the level of disability
of the deceased. Methods: general scientific, demographic, mathematical and statistical, graphical.
Results. In the structure of external causes of deaths in the ACWs for the period 1987–2017, 18.2 % (1 411 cases)
account for deaths from toxic effect of alcohol. The mortality of the ACWs from toxic effect of alcohol had the following features: 98.7 % of the deceased were men; the main cause of death was the toxic effect of ethyl alcohol
(70.1 %); the highest levels were in 2001–2005; the duration of life for men was 26–75 years, and for women –
36–68 years; the peak of mortality was at the age of 45–49 years (26.1 %); 93.0 % of men and 72.2 % of women
died at working ages; 98.6 % of men and 77.8 % of women died prematurely (before the age of 65); the average life
duration for the cohort was (47.79 ± 2.49) years; 31.47 thousand person-years of potential life were lost (an average of 22.3 years per person). The period of healthy life (from the date of the first involvement in works for the remediation of the consequences of the Chornobyl NPP accident to the establishment of a fact of loss of health and the
appointment of a disability pension) was from 1 to 27 years. The peak of health deterioration falls on 5–7 years after
the start of works in the ACWs who were involved in works in 1986 (46.7 %), 5–6 years – in 1987 (39.0 %), 3–4, 6
and 10 years (more than 10 % each, and a total of 46.6 %) – in 1988 and subsequent years of involvement. At the
time of death of the ACWs, 285 people or 20.2 % had a disability status (group III – 183 people (64.2 %), group II –
89 people (31.2 %), group I – 13 people (4.6 %). Disability pensions due to loss of health resulting from injury or
illness as a result of the Chornobyl disaster were awarded to 206 people (72.3 % of all disability pensions). The vast
majority were people who were involved in works in 1986 (46.7 %) and 1987 (39.0 %).
Conclusions. The paper focuses on socio-demographic aspects of mortality from toxic effect of alcohol among the
ACWs and its structure. We see prospects for further research in conducting epidemiological studies of health problems of the ACWs resulting from alcohol abuse.
Key words: Chornobyl NPP accident clean'up workers; toxic effect of alcohol; disability; mortality.
Problems of Radiation Medicine and Radiobiology.
2025;30:174-185. doi: 10.33145/2304-8336-2025-30-174-185
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