Ecologo-geographical assessment of child cancer incidence among children in Republic of Dagestan.

Abstract

The growing incidence of child cancer in the Republic of Dagestan testifies troubled environmental situation. This is why it is critical to define dependence between child cancer incidence and impact of environmental factors in the Republic's regions with troubled environmental conditions. In this study for the first time, we have conducted a comprehensive medical and ecological monitoring and an analysis of the total child cancer incidence in the Republic of Dagestan based on our multiyear data. The key methods of used research were a routine and look back analysis of the regional health indicators, the cartographic method, mathematic and cartographic modeling and the methods of medical and geographical analysis. We have identified epidemiological peculiarities of the child cancer incidence. A cartographic document has been made to show a geographic association of child cancer with different regions and towns of the Republic. Ecological, geographical and epidemiological assessment based on mathematical and cartographic modeling made it possible to divide the territory of the Republic into districts according to the degrees of environmental problems and to forecast the child cancer incidence. The results of this research can be used in working out a policy and strategies in the field of social and economic development, environmental monitoring and the healthcare system in the Republic of Dagestan; they will help to develop scientifically based recommendations for cancer prevention important for the Republic's districts, which can be used by the Dagestan Ministry of Health institutions to screen the children's health status.