PUBLIC HEALTH IN RADON-AFFECTED TERRITORIES

Abstract

The aim of the study is to conduct the geoecological assessment of the territory's radon hazard and its impact on the public health. Methods. The following methods were used during the study: cartographic method, geoinformation method, statistical method and mathematical modeling method. Secondary operations were carried out with the computer software Arc GIS 9.2, CorelDraw 9.0, Adobe Photoshop 10.0, Macromedia Flash MX, Statistica 10.0. Results. The article presents a methodological approach to studying the geographical distribution of radon. To ensure the quality of life for the population one requires a comprehensive radon monitoring, including the study of its natural background level as well as the area building structures and the rate of cancer related diseases. Analyzing the geotectonic typology of residential areas provides an opportunity to identify the main types of (human) settlements with a focus on their radon hazard level. While assessing the risk of cancer-related diseases and outlining the factors that affect the lung cancer rate it is essential to consider the deviations from the average ratio of nosological forms. One has developed the GIS mechanism to monitor territories, which - if combined with cartographic models - enables to quickly determine their radon hazard level. The suggested methodological approach makes it possible to identify the areas with ecological risk for the inhabitants due to the radon hazard of both populated land and the one to be populated in the future. The increasing emphasis is being laid on the residential areas located on tectonic fault lines. Conclusions. The natural background level of radon for the investigated region was identified during the integrated analysis of the territory radon hazard level. The cartographic approach reveals spatial patterns of cancer-related diseases and allows mapping the territory according to the degree of cancer risk.