2°J INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE: UA0000561 LONG-TERM HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF THE DISASTER Kiev, , June 1-6, 1998 ANALYSIS OF HEALTH STATUS OF CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT LIQUIDATORS IN Curbakova E., Zvagule T., Eglite M., Jekabsone I., Eglite A. Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health of Medical Academy of Latvia, Riga Center of Occupational and Radiological , Riga, Latvia

The Chernobyl accident is so far the biggest accident of nuclear energy that created a new problem for nuclear medicine. This accident has also become a problem for Latvia due to the fact that more than 6000 people took part in clean-up works of the Chernobyl accident. The aim of our study was to asses health status of Chernobyl accident liquidators in comparison with male population of Latvia which has not been exposed to small-doses of the in the past. The coordination and supervision of Chernobyl liquidators in Latvia is carried out by the Center of Occupational and Radiological Medicine at AML P. Stradina Clinical Hospital. A system for the registration and follow-up in Latvia has been created for investigations on influence of ionizing radiation and other accident's factors to Chernobyl NPP recovery workers from 1986. Until 01.01.1997 5002 Chernobyl liquidators, 97 persons evacuated from Chernobyl and 1250 children of Chernobyl liquidators born after the accident were registered. There is a screening system of Chernobyl accident liquidators in every district of Latvia which means that the local hospitals make a follow-up of every liquidator at least once a year including a routine medical examination. All the persons included in the State Register. We have analyzed the structure of diseases of Chernobyl liquidators within the period from 1992 till 1996 as well as reasons of death among them. For the analysis morbidity we have used the data of 1996 of health examinations of 2007 liquidators - males between the age of 30-55. The control group consists of 2381 employees of Ministry of Internal Affairs, males of the same age group. In clinical picture Chernobyl accident liquidators most commonly have complaints of headache (70%), dizziness and weakness of memory, prostration, lowering of working abilities (76%).Characteristic attack lose of consciousness, impotence are observed. There are complaints of changeable arterial blood pressure, excessive nervousness, local crams and paints in the bones (70-72%). An increasing trend is observed in the incidence of neoplasm's, malignant tumors and diseases of endocrine system in 1994-1996 compared to 1992. Comparative analysis of morbidity of 2007 Latvian Chernobyl recovery workers in age 30-55 and 2381 employees of Ministry of Internal Affairs at the same age (counted on 1000 persons) shows that morbidity in the group of liquidators is higher in all groups of diseases except diseases of respiratory system, diseases of skin and injuries and poisoning prevailing in control group. The analysis of causes of death among Chernobyl clean-up workers showed, that the most important causes are diseases (51.5%), particularly the diseases of the cardiovascular system, accidents and suicides. Morbidity of Chernobyl accident clean-up workers generally are more higher than the morbidity of control group. The highest contribution to morbidity in each age group of liquidators was from digestive, musculosceletal, nervous system and circulatory system diseases as well as mental disorders. It is important to continue this work in order to promote health among liquidators and to detect diseases for early diagnosis and early treatment.

lsl FORUM Epidemiological aspects of the 157