Assessment of the Impact of Oil Production Processes on the Health of the Population of Oil-Producing Areas of the Irkutsk Region

Abstract

Introduction. The state of the population health depends on the ecological and hygienic well-being of the territory. In places with developed oil production, there is a long-term impact of pollutants on the human body and, as a result, corresponding diseases develop. This is evidenced by numerous domestic and foreign studies, but the territory of the Irkutsk region is not covered by such studies. Therefore, the work objective is to assess the impact of oil production processes on the incidence of the population of oil-producing regions of the Irkutsk region.Materials and Methods. The source materials were the statistical indicators of overall and primary disease incidence of the population of the regions of the Irkutsk region for the period from 2016 to 2019, posted on the website of medical statistics of the Irkutsk region. For the calculation of the non-carcinogenic risk, we have used environmental monitoring data from an oil-producing company based on average daily concentrations of pollutants in oil-producing areas.Results. It is shown that oil-producing areas are characterized by extremely high incidence rates for such groups of diseases as respiratory diseases, diseases of the circulatory system, diseases of the musculoskeletal system, diseases of the digestive system, diseases of the genitourinary system, as well as deviations in pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. Infant mortality rates in these territories are up to 4 times higher than the corresponding average indicators for the Irkutsk region as a whole. The calculation of non-carcinogenic risk showed an excess over the permissible values accepted in Russia.Discussion and Conclusions. The results of the analysis testify to the unfavorable medical and demographic situation in the territories under discussion. The pronounced excess of the incidence rate for the presented groups of diseases in the oilfield areas in comparison with the territories taken for comparison reflects the possible impact of environmental pollution on the health of the population. A connection between the growth of infant mortality in the territories under consideration and the beginning of the industrial development of hydrocarbon deposits in these places has been revealed. The contribution of oil companies to the socio-economic development of the regions, including co-financing of medical care for the population, could partially offset the negative impact of industrial processes.