Introduction: The behavioral determinant is one of the key determinants of public health. It is the behavior of people that defines the frequency of visiting doctors and playing sports, having bad habits or being committed to implementing significant social functions. To manage the behavioral determinant, it is essential to develop an index that allows monitoring the state of public health factors.

Objective: To develop a methodological approach to calculating the behavioral determinant index (BDI).

Materials and Methods: To assess the BDI, we used “The urban health index: A handbook for its calculation and use” by the World Health Organization. The list of indicators describing the state of the behavioral determinant was compiled based on the results of the Rosstat Sample Population Health Monitoring. The BDIs were calculated using available indicators for the years 2020 to 2023. A correlation assessment was conducted in Stata to exclude contradictory indicators. All indicators used for calculations were standardized and the geometric mean was then calculated to obtain the values of the BDI. The three sigma rule was used to classify Russian regions by the level of the behavioral determinant.

Results: The developed methodological approach consists of several stages. The first stage includes selection of indicators to be used for calculation of the behavioral determinant index followed by assessment of correlations between these indicators at the second stage and standardization of the latter at the third. The fourth stage includes finding of geometric means to obtain BDI values and interpretation of results. Testing of the approach revealed the constituent entities of the Russian Federation demonstrating high BDI values (the city of Sevastopol, the Republic of Tatarstan, the Rostov Region, etc.).

Conclusions: The described approach to calculating the behavioral determinant index has a high potential for implementation by authorities. The index will ensure prioritization of regulatory objects and help monitor the effectiveness of the measures implemented.

Introduction: Malignant neoplasms are an important medical, social, and demographic problem, one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in the world. In Russia, the proportion of cancer deaths has increased from 12.2 % to 16.1 % over the past 20 years.

Objective: To analyze mortality rates from malignant neoplasms and the reserves of life expectancy associated with cancer elimination in the population of the Kemerovo Region – Kuzbass.

Materials and Methods: The study was conducted based on data of the Federal State Statistics Service and the Russian Birth and Mortality Database. A graphical and statistical analysis of mortality from malignant neoplasms in the Russian Federation and Kemerovo Region was performed using Friedman and Wilcoxon tests. Life expectancy was calculated using an indirect (demographic) method, elimination reserves and components of differences in life expectancy – using the component method.

Results: In Russia, the Siberian Federal District ranks first in terms of cancer mortality, and Kuzbass is one of its constituent entities. In 2022, the difference in life expectancy between men in the Russian Federation and the Kemerovo Region was 3.31 years, of which 0.46 years was the contribution of cancer mortality; in women these figures were 2.54 and 0.34 years, respectively. Elimination of cancer mortality could increase the life expectancy of men in the Kemerovo Region by 2.10 years and of women by 2.12 years. In men, the largest reserves are associated with malignant neoplasms of the trachea, bronchi, and lungs (0.47 years), stomach (0.18 years) and colorectal cancer (0.22 years), while in women, the greatest reserves are associated with colorectal cancer (0.31 years), breast cancer (0.31 years), and cervical cancer (0.20 years). These are the cancer types, the leading causes of which, along with environmental factors, are lifestyle behavioral risk factors.

Conclusions: In the Kemerovo Region – Kuzbass, mortality rates from malignant neoplasms of all sites in the population of both sexes are significantly higher than in the Russian Federation as a whole, as well as those from cancer of the trachea, bronchi, lungs, and colorectum in men and women and from prostate cancer in men. Elimination of cancer mortality could contribute to an increase in life expectancy of the population of Kuzbass by 2.1 years.

Introduction: Climate literacy training through implementation of information programs is essential for active involvement of the civil society in climate change mitigation activities recognized as significant at the international level.

Objective: To describe how residents of a Siberian industrial metropolis perceive climate change and its health consequences.

Materials and Methods: Three types of data were used: (1) Yandex search query statistics from June 2024 to May 2025 by Internet users in Krasnoyarsk related to climate change; (2) results of an online survey conducted among Krasnoyarsk residents (n = 335, April 2025, weighted rolling sample); and (3) content analysis of three regional news portals.

Results: Most residents acknowledge climate changes in Krasnoyarsk over the past 5–10 years but do not perceive them as affecting their daily lives or health. Reflection on climate change is more common for older residents (Cramer’s V = 0.169, p < 0.05) and those with higher financial security (Cramer’s V = 0.242, p < 0.05). Women are more likely to believe that climate change will negatively affect them in the future than men (Cramer’s V = 0.196, p < 0.001). A subgroup viewing climate change positively has been also identified. Low public concern about climate problems determines limited information-seeking behavior with search activity mainly triggered by extreme weather events. Regional media coverage of climate issues is sporadic and lacks systematic attention to problems or solutions.

Conclusions: The population of the surveyed industrial metropolis is aware of the ongoing climate change but does not feel anxious about it, considering the consequences of climate dynamics to be remote. Risk communication strategies should emphasize local challenges and solutions, involve local opinion leaders, and demonstrate specific opportunities for public participation in developing adaptation strategies.

Introduction: Health promotion and education play a crucial role in reducing preventable blindness and visual impairment in underdeveloped countries. This study aims to evaluate understanding and perspectives of adults regarding cataracts in Tlogowaru (rural area of Malang).

Materials and methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving adults aged ≥ 18 years in Tlogowaru rural area using a closed-ended questionnaire adapted from an original article, translated into Indonesian, and validated with a Cronbach’s alpha of > 0.6. Knowledge levels were categorized as poor (< 6) or good (≥ 6) based on the total score of 9. A total of 270 respondents participated in this study.

Results: While 68.5 % of the respondents exhibited good knowledge about cataracts, 59.6 % expressed a contradictory negative attitude towards the condition. Our analysis indicates that fear of pain (59.2 %) and concerns about surgical outcomes (56.6 %) significantly contribute to this negative attitude. Significant associations were found between knowledge and factors such as age (p = 0.003), gender (p = 0.021), education (p = 0.000), and income (p = 0.000).

Conclusion: Our findings highlight the disparity between adequate knowledge and negative attitudes towards cataracts, thus underscoring the need for targeted awareness initiatives to improve perceptions and encourage proactive health behavior.

Introduction: Working while studying has become widespread among Russian university students. The multifactorial and ambiguous impact of employment on medical university students determines the necessity of conducting the study.

Objective: To perform a hygienic assessment of effects of working while studying on medical university students.

Materials and Methods: The online survey involved 107 first to sixth-year students of the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University (Pirogov University). The questionnaire contained questions about class attendance, sleep disorders, motivation to continue working in the specialty, academic performance at the university, bad habits, and morbidity.

Results: We established that more than 70 % [CI: 61.79–78.21] of the medical university students worked while studying. The majority of them (84.0 % [CI: 76.02–91.98]) worked in the medical field and 16.0 % [CI: 8.02–23.98] were employed in other fields. Students usually started working in the medical field in the third (19.0 % [CI: 9.62–28.38]) and fourth (47.6 % [CI 35.66–59.54]) years of study. We revealed a lower attendance rate for university lectures and practical classes among working students: 28.0 % [CI: 18.23–37.77] against 18.8 % [CI: 5.43–32.17] and 12.0 % [CI: 4.93–19.07] against 9.4 % [CI: 1.22–17.58], respectively, but the differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Working while studying was found to adversely affect students’ health and well-being leading to frequent sleep disorders (56 % [CI: 45.2–66.8]), a 3-fold increase in the incidence of the common cold, chronic fatigue (79.4 % [CI: 70.53–88.27]) and anxiety (55.1 % [CI: 44.17–65.83]). Smoking was more prevalent among working students (33.0 % [CI: 22.76–43.24] versus 9.4 % [CI: 1.22–17.58]) (p < 0.05). It is worth noting that almost 40 % [CI: 29.34–50.66] of them started smoking after being hired. Employment while studying motivated 60.6 % [CI: 49.98–71.22] of the students to continue working in their specialty after graduation.

Conclusion: Working while studying has a significant effect on various aspects in medical university students.

Introduction: High prevalence of cardiovascular diseases determines the necessity of early pre-clinical assessment of its functioning parameters.

Objective: To study sex-specific features of central hemodynamics in students with different types of vegetative regulation.

Materials and Methods: The study involved 557 healthy students aged 17 to 22 years (446 females and 111 males) studying the humanities at the University of Surgut. The type of autonomic regulation was determined by the mean normal-to-normal RR interval (RRNN). Anthropometric indices and basic parameters of central hemodynamics were measured in the students. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistica v.7.0 (M ± SD). Mean values were compared using a factorial ANOVA (Duncan’s new multiple range test, p < 0.05).

Results: Most students (about 65 %) had a eutonical type of autonomic regulation of the cardiovascular system. The predominance of sympathetic tone was noted in females (29 % against 11 % in males), while vagatonia was more prevalent in males (24 % vs 8 % in females). Students with the dominating sympathetic tone were diagnosed with higher values of arterial pressure, cardiac output and heart index, but lower values of systolic volume and specific peripheral vascular resistance (p < 0.01). In vagatonics, the decrease in cardiac output was attributed to the adaptive increase in systolic volume and vascular tone indices below the upper range of the norm. Male students were diagnosed with higher blood pressure and specific peripheral vascular resistance, while females had higher cardiac index (p < 0.05) within the age-specific normal range.

Conclusions: The findings help describe sex-specific differences in the indicators of central hemodynamics and regulatory mechanisms of functioning of the cardiovascular system in students with different types of autonomic regulation and lay the scientific basis for developing health improving and preventive measures.

Introduction: Given the change in the structure of inspections and the priorities of preventive measures aimed at reducing children’s health risks, it is important to assess their effectiveness in organizing school meals.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of supervisory and preventive measures in organizing feeding in schools of the Sverdlovsk Region.

Materials and methods: We have analyzed data on inspections, preventive visits, and laboratory tests provided by the Sverdlovsk Regional Rospotrebnadzor Office for 72 schools and the results of sanitary and epidemiological surveys (audits) for two schools and four food service operators for the years 2021 to 2024. In addition, we conducted a questionnaire-based survey of 98 school kitchen managers.

Results: Inspections revealed repeated violations pertaining to the procedures posing potential physical, chemical, and microbiological risks. Following preventive visits of supervisory bodies and subsequent inspections, an average of six new violations per school was registered. Repeated inspections found old and/or new violations in the kitchens of other schools run by the same food service operator. Sanitary and epidemiological surveys showed a 3.2 % increase in the level of regulatory compliance of the kitchens. All measures taken demonstrated an average of 1 % increase in the number of abnormal results of testing food samples for microbiological quality and nutritional value.

Conclusions: Positive dynamics is usually observed after supervisory and preventive measures as shown by a decrease in the number of violations of mandatory legal requirements. However, their repetition is noted, which emphasizes poor efficiency, the cause of which can be the lack of training, personnel, information interaction and coordination of actions of the food operator with executive chefs. The indices related to personnel training, improvement of skills and competence are proposed to be included in the set of indicators of effectiveness of regulatory compliance within the system of children’s health risk management in school feeding.

Introduction: Availability of food necessary for maintaining health and growth of children is becoming relevant in multiple child families, where financial constraints can be an obstacle to ensuring adequate nutrition.

Objective: To conduct a multivariate analysis of the dietary intake in large families with three or more children under the age of 18.

Materials and Methods: We have analyzed microdata from a sample survey of the diet of household members in all Russian regions conducted in 2023 by the Federal State Statistics Service. The analysis included 34,077 members of the families with children under the age of 18, including 19,160 adults and 14,917 children. The dietary intake was studied by the 24-hour recall. Initial data processing and statistical analysis were carried out using IBM SPSS Statistics v.20.0, USA.

Results: The per capita income of 88 % of members of the families with three or more children is in the lower first and second income quintiles. In terms of the proportion of the macronutrients, an increase in the number of children in the family is associated with the diet that is more deficient in proteins, fats, and saturated fatty acids, but more abundant in total carbohydrates, polysaccharides, and added sugar. The contribution of dairy and fish products to energy and protein consumption in large families is lower but that of bakery products, cereals, soups is higher, while the contribution of meat products, vegetables, potatoes, and fruits does not depend on the number of children in the family. The diet of large families is noted for a lower intake of fermented dairy products, cheese, cottage cheese, sausages, fish products, fruits and vegetables. At the same time, the consumption of meat and poultry, potatoes, liquid milk, butter and confectionery does not depend on the number of children.

Conclusion: A comprehensive multi-level assessment of the nutritional status of children in large families allows us to conclude with a certain degree of confidence that there are no dramatic health consequences for disruptions in the provision of macronutrients and energy.

Introduction: Monitoring the resistance of microorganisms to disinfectants used in healthcare facilities helps prevent or mitigate risks of the spread of infectious agents in the indoor environment. At the same time, microbiological laboratories face difficulties related to the lack of a ready form of a neutralizer to be used during testing of environmental objects to eliminate the effect of residual amounts of disinfectants on microbial cells.

Objective: To improve the method of assessing resistance of microorganisms to disinfectants using agar with neutralizing components.

Materials and Methods: We used the Dey-Engley neutralizing agar with 1.0 % dextrose, 0.5 % casein peptone, 0.25 % yeast extract, 0.7 % lecithin, 0.6 % sodium thiosulfate, and 0.5 % twin-80 as an agar with neutralizing components. The effectiveness of neutralization of quaternary ammonium compounds, aldehydes, active chlorine and oxygen-based compounds was evaluated in relation to S. aureus ATCC 6538P and E. coli ATCC 10536. Plastic surfaces (bottoms of 12- well plates) were used as test objects. A total of 122 tests were conducted with various solutions of disinfectants in the concentrations recommended by the instructions for use. Test results were then analyzed using Microsoft Office Excel 2016.

Results: The effectiveness of neutralizing residual amounts of disinfectants based on quaternary ammonium compounds using the Dey-Engley neutralizing agar was 95.18 ± 3.2 %; aldehydes – 98.1 ± 2.1 %; active chlorine-based compounds – 93.6 ± 2.4 %, and active oxygen-based compounds – 71.4 ± 5.5 %. When validating the applied technique, we observed no deviations of test results from the established acceptance criteria relative to the approved methodology for assessing sensitivity of microorganisms to disinfectants.

Conclusions: The study results indicate that it is possible to use the Dey-Engley neutralizing agar in a technique for determining resistance of microorganisms to disinfectants. The advantages of the proposed method include standardization of the process and reduction of material and time costs.