Socio-economic and environmental determinants of children’s health in a big city (the case study of Lviv city, Ukraine)

Myroslava Petrovska,Svyatoslav Petrovskyi,Viktoriya Pantyley,Iryna Strilets

doi:10.1515/environ-2017-0009

Myroslava Petrovska, Svyatoslav Petrovskyi + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1515/environ-2017-0009

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Abstract

Abstract With the current economic and political instability in Ukraine, children's health is most certainly the best indicator of socioeconomic development within the country and its different regions. This article analyses the socio-economic and environmental determinants of a child’s health in a big city (using the example of Lviv, a city in Ukraine). The demographic indicators of the child population of the city of Lviv and the reasons for mortality were traced; the structure of children’s diseases was analyzed; the factors affecting children’s health potential (such as local budget expenditures on health care, the level of average nominal wages, the ecological situation in the region) were studied. Published and non-published statistical data from the Main Statistical Department of Lviv Region, Lviv City Council were used. Specific consumer behavior among randomly selected Lviv households with children aged between 0-14 years was studied by using a special survey. Research results show the links between socio-economic and ecological factors (local budget expenditures on health care, the level of average nominal wages, the ecological indices in the region), and child mortality. The limited capacity of parents to satisfy the basic needs of households and complete lack, or limitation, of time that parents spend with their children undoubtedly influences the potential of children’s health in a destructive way.

Highlights

In terms of socio-political, socio-economic and ecological crises which emerged and deepened in Ukraine in the 90s of the XX century, the health of the nation significantly worsened
Scope and inconsistencies in reforming different spheres of public life have led to a significant deterioration in the quality and standards of living of the population of Ukraine that can be clearly seen in the public health status of the population (PANTYLEJ, 2008; PANTYLEY, 2014)
(based on self-assessment) to identify the consumer it is not typical for Lviv, where a behavior, which is most common in their household. tendency of reducing children’s mortality under

Summary

Introduction

In terms of socio-political, socio-economic and ecological crises which emerged and deepened in Ukraine in the 90s of the XX century, the health of the nation significantly worsened. In recent years in Ukraine in general and in the city of Lviv, a sharp deterioration in the potential of children's health has been recognized (ARTEMENKO, 2014; PETROVSKA, 2013; PETROVSKA & PYLYPOVYČ, 2013). This situation is a consequence of the socio-economic reconstruction of society, poor living conditions of a significant group of the population, and unfavorable environmental conditions, which reduce the compensatory and adaptive capabilities of a child's body and its resistance to various harmful factors. Among the different types of households in Ukraine, the highest risk of poverty, according to both absolute and relative criteria, concerns those households with two or more children, with children under the age of 3, and households with children and unemployed adults

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