Introduction: Globally, malignant neoplasms rank second among causes of death, surpassed only by cardiovascular diseases. Objective: To conduct a retrospective analysis of trends in cancer mortality and one-year fatality rates in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic in 2019–2024.

Materials and Methods: The retrospective descriptive ecological study was conducted using aggregated official statistical data. The study population consisted of the adult population of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic (KChR) analyzed by sex and district for the years 2019–2024. The data sources included information from the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat) and the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Report Form No. 7, Malignant Neoplasms , annual reports by the Ministry of Health of the KChR, and data from an off-site meeting of the National Medical Research Center for Radiology. We used analytical, statistical, and comparative methods involving the comparison of typological indicators and homogeneous data, as well as the determination of group boundaries using the quartile method. 95 % confidence intervals were calculated, and differences were assessed using the Student’s t -test ( p < 0.05). Standardization of the adult population was performed using the direct method based on the WHO European Standard Population.

Results: Over the study period, the crude cancer mortality rate in the KChR decreased significantly by 9.2 % from 129.53 to 117.65 per 100,000 population ( t = 2.41; p = 0.016). The proportion of cancer cases diagnosed postmortem dropped from 10.28 % to 2.0 %. The one-year lethality rate decreased from 23.6 % to 12.8 % and was lower than the averages for the North Caucasian Federal District (16.1 %) and the Russian Federation (17.3 %) in 2023 (the most recent year with comparable data available). The reduction in mortality rates was more pronounced in women (–12.6 %) than in men (–17.3 %). Using the quartile method, the municipal districts were categorized into three groups based on mortality rates (ranging from 59.50 to 103.10 per 100,000 population); districts with artifactual values were excluded.

Conclusion: Positive trends in key cancer mortality and lethality indicators were observed in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic over the study period.

Introduction: Regional disparities in public health have both statistical and spatio-temporal dimensions.

Objective: To identify the spatio-temporal structure of public health risk and to determine whether territorial clusters of disadvantage persist after accounting for contextual and manageable determinant contours.

Materials and Methods: We used a spacio-temporal panel for 2019–2024 including 85 constituent entities of the Russian Federation and indicators grouped by biological, demographic, medical, behavioral, social, and environmental determinants. Spatial weight matrices were constructed using nearest neighbors, distance, and federal district affiliation. We assessed global and local spatial autocorrelation, residual risk clusters, macroregional effects, models with spatially lagged predictors, and smoothed residual risk. Artificial intelligence was used in a limited interpretable form as an algorithmic spatial diagnostic contour for constructing spatial features, detecting clusters, and integrating results with territorial typology. Interpretable artificial intelligence methods were used to automatically construct spatial features, compare transparent regression models, and assess their quality across regional groups. Local clusters were identified using Local Moran’s I.

Results: A distinct spatial structure was identified for life expectancy, all-cause mortality, and homicide mortality. After accounting for contextual and controllable contours, residual spatial autocorrelation persisted for life expectancy, all-cause mortality, and homicide mortality, but virtually disappeared for healthy life expectancy. In terms of life expectancy and homicide mortality, the Siberia–Far East belt of residual risk was identified regarding life expectancy and homicide mortality. Models incorporating spatially lagged predictors improved the explanatory power for life expectancy and homicide mortality; however, the more complex Spatial Durbin Model was not justified as a universal method for all outcomes.

Conclusions: Spatio-temporal diagnostics should be viewed as an independent layer of public health monitoring. It helps distinguish isolated regional disadvantage from macroterritorial risk clusters and supports more evidence-based interregional priority setting.

Introduction: Health-related quality of life reflects the impact of health status on physical, mental, and social functioning and is of particular importance for military personnel. Objective: To assess health-related quality-of-life indicators among servicemen of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation and to determine the nature of their associations with the fitness-for-military-service category, multimorbidity level, and work ability.

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study included 796 servicemen who underwent medical examination from January 2022 to January 2023. We used the MOS 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36) to assess the quality of life (QoL), the work ability index (WAI) to establish work ability, and the cumulative illness rating scale (CIRS) to evaluate multimorbidity. The Kruskal–Wallis test and Spearman’s rank correlation analysis were applied; differences were considered statistically significant at p < 0.05.

Results: Significant differences between military fitness categories were identified across all SF-36 scales ( p < 0.001). The most pronounced decrease was observed in the physical component of health, physical and role functioning, bodily pain, and self-rated health. We found an inverse correlation between the CIRS index and all QoL indicators that was the strongest for the physical health component (ρ = −0.398; p < 0.001), physical functioning (ρ = −0.379; p < 0.001), and role physical functioning (ρ = −0.354; p < 0.001). The WAI demonstrated a positive correlation with the physical health component (ρ = 0.638; p < 0.001), role physical functioning (ρ = 0.586; p < 0.001), and physical functioning (ρ = 0.584; p < 0.001).

Conclusions: Deterioration in military fitness is associated with a decline in quality of life, particularly in the physical domain. A comprehensive assessment of the quality of life and work ability may complement medical fitness evaluation.

Introduction: Environmental conditions are an important component in shaping public health; however, their interregional heterogeneity and combination with other determinants require targeted assessment.

Objective: To assess territorial inequality in environmental conditions in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation based on a composite index and to determine the possibilities of using it for primary comparative zoning of territories by the degree of environmental disadvantage.

Materials and Methods: A retrospective comparative panel study was conducted using data from 85 constituent entities of the Russian Federation for 2019–2024. We analyzed 510 spatio-temporal observations. The composite index of environmental conditions included three comparable quantitative indicators: access of the population to high-quality drinking water from centralized water supply systems, assessment of environmental quality and climate conditions. The indicators were normalized on a single scale from 0 to 100 points. Subsequently, the condition index and the intensity of adverse conditions were calculated, and spatial and profile diagnostics were carried out, along with the typology of territories based on the combined intensity of adverse conditions across six determinants of public health.

Results: The average index of environmental conditions was 91.60 points, and the average intensity of environmental disadvantage was 8.40 points. The structural weight of the intensity of the latter reached 8.05 %, and the weight of informativeness was 17.22 %. The indicator of the population’s access to quality drinking water accounted for the largest calculated share of the sum of the average intensities of the three components’ problems; its internal structure was72.02 %. The spatial and profile interplay of environmental disadvantage was low, which indicates that it is predominantly of a local nature. An environmentally and behaviorally defined type of territory has been identified, encompassing six entities and characterized by a combination of above-average levels of both environmental and behavioral distress.

Conclusion: The composite index of environmental conditions helps differentiate territories by the degree of environmental degradation and to use the regional level as a stage of initial comparative screening. The possibility of further refining the assessment at the municipal and urban levels requires a special verification based on local monitoring data.

Introduction: The World Health Organization and the national healthcare system consider the deteriorating health of student youth and especially of medical university students as an independent problem of healthcare workforce health maintenance. Health-promoting behavior of medical doctors is the basis for their readiness to counsel patients on risk factors for non-communicable diseases so fostering a sustainable culture of health among future health professionals is of public health importance.

Objective: To develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a complex organizational and hygienic program for building a culture of health among medical university students.

Materials and Methods: To meet the objective, a prospective controlled study was carried out in 2023–2026. At the screening stage, quantitative characteristics of the culture of health were established in 1,117 students to determine target parameters of the program. To assess program effectiveness, intervention and reference groups of 145 students each were created, matched by age, field of study, and the baseline level of the culture of health. The dynamics of four domains of the latter (motivational-value, cognitive (health literacy), behavioral, and reflective-evaluative) were examined using validated methods before and after intervention.

Results: High effectiveness of the program was demonstrated during implementation manifested by a statistical increase in all domains of the culture of health in the intervention group. The proportion of students with its high level in this group rose from 33.0 % to 39.1 % against 11.0–22.2 % in the reference group ( p < 0.01). Initial screening revealed the predominance of a low level of the culture of health that was registered in 47.3 % of the students with only 10.7 % of all participants demonstrating its high level, thus confirming the validity of intervention.

Conclusions: Implementation of a comprehensive organizational and hygienic program based on a four-module structure, a substantiated educational environment design, and the WHO concept of a Health Promoting University ensures a statistically significant increase in the culture of health in medical university students.

Introduction: Traditional offline health education programs are limited by the need for personal attendance and insufficient employee engagement. A digital format may improve the accessibility of preventive education.

Objective: To substantiate the use of a digital health school as a group preventive program and to compare the prevalence of risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and psychosocial characteristics of working conditions between program participants and the comparison group.

Materials and Methods: A single-center organizational experiment with two parallel groups was conducted at a machine-building enterprise. The study included 808 employees at risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) according to the FINDRISC score, who were allocated by the envelope method to a comprehensive prevention program group incorporating a digital health school ( n = 404) and a reference group ( n = 404). T2DM risk factors and psychosocial characteristics of working conditions were assessed using the FINDRISC and COPSOQ instruments. Between-group differences were analyzed using nonparametric and categorical methods with adjustment for age, sex, and years of employment; Holm’s correction was applied for multiple comparisons.

Results: Of 404 workers, 367 started and 321 (87.5 %) completed training. Median body mass index was lower in the program group (25.00 versus 26.00 kg/m²; p < 0.001), while daily vegetable and fruit consumption (77.5 versus 67.6 %) and physical activity (71.5 versus 58.7 %) were more frequent (both p ≤ 0.002); exhaustion and tension were reported less often (12.9 versus 25.0 % and 20.5 versus 35.1 %).

Conclusion: The digital health school is organizationally feasible and ensures high program completion rates; the more favorable profile of the program group cannot be attributed to the school alone, being part of a broader program.

Introduction: Assessment of the human potential of social sector workers enables a comprehensive evaluation of health status, social well-being, professional potential, and quality of life, as well as identification of the components that may limit professional performance. Objective: To perform a qualimetric assessment of the human potential of employees of social sector organizations and to examine its interplay with professional performance.

Materials and Methods: A multicenter cross-sectional observational study was conducted in 2022–2024 involving 1,040 social sector workers. Human potential was assessed by four components: medical, social, professional, and quality of life. To ensure comparability of the characteristics, the results for each component were converted to a five-point scale. The total score ranged from 4 to 20 points. Quality of life was assessed using the MOS SF-36 questionnaire. Intergroup comparisons were performed using the Z-test, while differences in frequencies were assessed using Pearson’s chi-squared test. The level of statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

Results: The mean integrated human potential score among the surveyed employees was 13.95 points. The professional component score was the highest (4.36) while the quality-of-life score was the lowest (2.50). Among the managers, the total human potential score was statistically lower than among the core staff: 13.34 and 14.50 points, respectively ( p = 0.032). Low professional performance was observed in 81.45 % of employees with a low level of human potential and in 31.01 % of those with a high level.

Conclusion: We established an interplay between the level of human potential among the social sector employees and their successful professional performance. The greatest reserves for its maintenance and improvement were related to the quality of life and social well-being.

Introduction: The widespread adoption of automated pre-trip medical examination systems for drivers helps accumulate large blood pressure datasets, enabling new approaches to hypertension screening.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of an original automated examination-based workflow on the detection and routing of individuals with arterial hypertension.

Materials and Methods: The retrospective cohort study analyzed data collected from January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2025, across three motor transport companies in the Republic of Bashkortostan, Russian Federation. The sample comprised 440 individuals aged 20.3 to 68.0 years. Group 1 included participants who sought medical care following implementation of the workflow (73, 16.6 %); Group 2 included those who did not (367, 83.4 %). The workflow comprised routine automated examinations, automated data analysis with risk stratification, and patient routing. Statistical analyses included descriptive metrics and a linear mixed-effects model for repeated measures.

Results: Across the sample, both systolic and diastolic blood pressure increased significantly with age ( p < 0.001). Owing to the introduction of the original automated examination-based workflow, Group 1 participants sought medical care. This group demonstrated a statistically significant attenuation in the rate of systolic (β = −0.0007; p = 0.002) and diastolic (β = −0.0008; p < 0.001) blood pressure elevation over time.

Conclusions: This workflow enables effective identification, triage, and referral of individuals with signs of arterial hypertension to outpatient facilities for medical care.