Background: The need to study behavioral patterns associated with lifestyle modification is evidenced not only by the high global mortality rate from cardiovascular diseases, but also by the growing burden of cardiovascular risk factors.

Our objective was to assess the dynamics of risk factors in people with different health status and the role of healthy lifestyle recommendations in lifestyle changes.

 Materials and methods: The first stage of the study was conducted in 2016 and included 1,600 respondents while the second was in 2019 involving 991 respondents, which were then divided into three groups by their health status: apparently healthy, those who developed an atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) during the observation period, and those already sick (initial CVD cases). The participants were examined and surveyed for the main cardiovascular risk factors, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, including its atherogenic lipoprotein, smoking, body mass index, and past illnesses. Lifestyle modification following the receipt of healthy lifestyle recommendations was assessed by survey.

Results: The most pronounced dynamics of risk factors was revealed among those who developed a CVD in the course of observation: cholesterol decreased from 5.7 to 5.2 mmol/L, p = 0.005, its atherogenic lipoprotein – from 4.3 to 3.4 mmol/L, p < 0.001, systolic blood pressure – from 144 to 128 mmHg, p < 0.001, and the body mass index – from 30.8 to 30.7 kg/m2 , p = 0.255. Most patients from this group (59.3 %) received healthy lifestyle recommendations and the proportions of those who followed them and modified their lifestyle were higher than in other groups (39.0 % and 54.7 %, respectively; p < 0.001). In the group of apparently healthy individuals, lifestyle recommendations were given to 27.4 % members; yet, this group was noted for a high prevalence of lifestyle self-modification (23.8 %). Among those who already suffered from a CVD at the beginning, the proportion of patients who received healthy lifestyle recommendations was 1.5 times lower (38.3 %) compared to the group of patients who developed the disease, p < 0.001.

Conclusion: Those who developed a disease during observation received recommendations for a healthy lifestyle more often and modified it, but the number of such recommendations decreased with disease duration. The decision to modify the lifestyle was more often made by those who were given lifestyle recommendations, while self-modification was less frequent.

Introduction: Despite all significant efforts taken by the government, the issue of a healthy lifestyle remains highly relevant for the Russian population.

 Objective: To assess changes in behavioral practices of Russian people from various socio-demographic groups in terms of commitment to a healthy lifestyle.

Materials and methods: The main source of empirical information was the Russian sociological survey conducted on April 17–26, 2023 in 29 regions of the Russian Federation. The sample consisted of 1,516 people aged 18 years and older who were interviewed at their place of residence. The results were compared with the findings of previous surveys of the same design.

Result: The study has demonstrated a decrease in the proportion of Russians who believe that they lead a healthy lifestyle (from 63.7 % in 2021 to 56.2 % in 2023). At the same time, only 13 % of the respondents were found to adhere to basic principles of a healthy lifestyle. Male sex, having no higher education, and low income were associated with a poor commitment to the latter. We have noted a rising trend in the prevalence of smoking among young people. In the group of 18–24-year-olds, we observed a 1.5-fold increase in the proportion of smokers over the previous year related to the growing popularity of vaping. We have also established an increase in consumption of energy drinks (from 16.6 % in 2013 to 22.8 % in 2023), especially among young people aged 18–24 (53.2 %). Only 27.2 % of the respondents under 40 having children reported regular physical activity and/or sports compared to a similar group of citizens without children (40.2 %).

Conclusion: Recommendations given based on the survey results are related to the importance of improving directions in social policy that promote commitment to a healthy lifestyle taking into account the needs of representatives of different socio-demographic groups.

Introduction: A comprehensive assessment of adverse human health effects of environmental pollutants found in residential areas has been carried out in the Voronezh Region.

Objective: To conduct a comprehensive hygienic assessment of the anthropogenic load on the territory of the Voronezh Region.

 Materials and methods: We analyzed the results of ambient air, drinking water, and soil quality monitoring collected by the Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology in the Voronezh Region in 2018–2022 for compliance with the maximum permissible concentrations specified in Regulations SanPiN 1.2.3685–21. The complex load was estimated in accordance with method guidelines MR 01-19/17-17.

Results: We established that pollution of ambient air in residential areas contributed the most (69.8 %) to the total anthropogenic load in the town Pavlovsk; drinking water – to that in the Semiluksky district (36.5 %), and soil – in the Rossoshansky district (10.5 %). In the city of Voronezh, the level of complex anthropogenic load exceeded both the regional and district averages. The problem of ambient air pollution dominates in all districts; it should be noted, however, that air sampling is carried out only in urban areas and urban-type settlements. In rural areas, effects of agriculture-associated nitrate pollution of drinking water is more pronounced. The impact of soil pollution is more pronounced in urban residential areas. At the same time, the excess of maximum permissible concentrations of soil pollutants were registered neither in rural nor in urban areas over the study period.

 Conclusion: In Voronezh, the level of complex anthropogenic load exceeds the average values estimated for the region and districts. Ambient air pollution with vehicle and industrial emissions make the greatest contributions to this load both on the territory of Voronezh and in the districts. Nitrate pollution of potable water associated with agriculture is a challenge in rural areas.

 Background: Challenges of using geographic information systems (GIS) in public health monitoring are considered. Objective: To review scientific literature on application of geographic information systems as a tool of public health monitoring used to control the sanitary and epidemiological state of the environment, including water bodies, and of health care.

Methods: We studied the conceptual apparatus of a geographic information system, analyzed publications describing the use of this tool in the sanitary and hygienic surveillance of water bodies and the prospects for the development and improvement of this system. We examined topical papers published in 2001–2023 and found in searchable electronic databases (Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, eLIBRARY, and ResearchGate) using the following keywords: geographic information system (GIS), sanitary and epidemiological control, public health, water. Of 154 initially identified sources, we selected 76 publications on the experience of using geographic information systems by ministries, federal executive bodies, scientific and higher educational institutions, and also analyzed seven regulatory documents, directly or indirectly regulating the work of geographic information systems.

Results and discussion: This review considers the possibility of using a geographic information system as a model for coordinating the activities of local and regional state sanitary and epidemiological surveillance on priority issues related to public health protection. The geographic information system in this case is considered as a single coordination center that ensures accumulation, analysis and visualization of sanitary and epidemiological information on biological contamination of water bodies. Along with the importance and application of GIS, part of the review is devoted to examples of implementation and shortcomings of existing tools, emphasizing the necessity to create a new “unified” software product able to provide “effective” consolidation of information on the sanitary and epidemiological safety of the use of water resources.

Conclusion: A geographic information system is not only an effective tool for storing, systematizing and analyzing incoming information on biological contamination of water bodies, but also one of the modern techniques solving such a practical problem as the feasibility of sanitary and hygienic monitoring of water quality and health protection in the population using this water source.

                Introduction: Statistics show that over 11 million Russians use untreated tap water noncompliant with safety standards. Consumption of such water may have adverse human health effects and pose risks of various diseases. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between consumption of artesian tap water sourced from centrally operated water supply systems in arid areas of the Saratov Region and the prevalence of cardiovascular, urogenital, and digestive diseases in the local population.

                Materials and methods: We examined 127 artesian water samples collected from the centralized water supply systems in three arid areas of the Saratov Region in 2008–2022. The water quality was tested by atomic absorption spectrometry, photoelectric photometry, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, and capillary electrophoresis. Data on the residents receiving follow-up care for genitourinary, digestive, and circulatory diseases were obtained from the Saratov Medical Information and Analytical Center. The Statistica 10 software was used for data analysis.

                Results: We observed high levels of total hardness (24 ± 3 mg-equiv./L), alkalinity (7.5 ± 0.2 units), total mineralization (2,454 ± 546 mg/L), nitrate salts (99 ± 23 mg/L), chlorides (1,610 ± 462 mg/L), sulfates (753 ± 64 mg/L), as well as ions of manganese (up to 11 MPC), magnesium (up to 8.8 MPC), and iron (up to 10.83 MPC) in artesian water samples tested showing noncompliance with tap water quality requirements. We also established that daily calcium intake with tap water (1,403.5 ± 199.5 mg/day) exceeded the recommended one. We established a strong correlation (r = 0.931, r 2 = 0.867, p < 0.001) between the mean daily consumption of non-conforming artesian tap water (1.4 ± 0.01 L/day in the Fedorovsky district, 0.7 ± 0.01 L/day in the Novouzensky district, and 0.1 ± 0.01 L/day in the Alexandrovo-Gaysky district) and the proportion of residents of the arid areas of the Saratov Region followed up for diseases of the genitourinary system (1,266 ± 64.3, 1,691.4 ± 107.8, and 758.4 ± 18.1, respectively).

                Conclusions: Our findings show the necessity of improving measures aimed at raising the quality of water supply in arid areas, including the development of additional measures for preliminary water treatment, and importance of tap water quality control for prevention of adverse health outcomes related to chronic exposure to waterborne chemicals.

Introduction: Imbalanced nutrition and the predominance of lipid and carbohydrate components in it leads to vascular damage and, as a consequence, cardiovascular diseases, which are the leading cause of death worldwide. Metabolomic screening can predict the presence of the disease in the early stages and help in tracking the effectiveness of treatment.

Objective: To conduct a pilot study by in vivo modeling of hyperlipidemia and hypercholesterolemia to investigate metabolomic alterations in the blood plasma of rats and to search for new biomarkers of atherosclerotic vascular lesions.

Materials and methods: The study involved 30 albino male rats divided into two groups: the experimental group (n = 15) and the control group (n = 15). Modeling of atherosclerosis was carried out by means of a diet with an excess of simple sugars, fat and cholesterol, coupled with pharmacological effects, which consisted of inducing hypothyroidism in combination with a toxic dose of vitamin D. Blood metabolomic profiling was performed using liquid chromatography – tandem mass spectrometry.

Results: Our experiment with the comprehensive in vivo modeling of hyperlipidemia in the experimental group showed a decrease by 1.3 to 1.8 times in the levels of various acylcarnitines, by 1.4 and 2 times of some indole derivatives, and by 3.5 and 3.9 times of some fatty acids. At the same time, an increase was observed for ophthalmate by 1.8 times, sterol by 2.2 times, and glycocholic acid by 5.6 times, whereas 1.2 to 1.9-fold multidirectional changes were established for glycerophospholipids.

Conclusions: The experiment has provided data related to various aspects of the disease, such as hyperlipidemia, inflammation, oxidative stress, blood rheology, and body weight of the animals. Metabolomic profiling, in its turn, helped established potential molecular biomarkers of the pathological processes.

Introduction: Acceptable working conditions are essential but they do not ensure complete prevention of occupational diseases. The purpose of the study was to establish possible causes and features of development of occupational diseases in blue-collar employees having acceptable working conditions.

Materials and methods: Data on working conditions and occupational disease rates collected within public health monitoring and information from the Register of extracts from occupational disease records in the Russian Arctic for 2007–2021 were analyzed. The relative risk (RR) and 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI), the goodness-of-fit criterion (χ2 ) for the analysis of four-field tables, and the approximation criterion (R2 ) to determine the measure of correlation between values were calculated.

Results: It has been established that 74 of 10,343 occupational disease cases (0.72 %) were registered at enterprises of the Russian Arctic with acceptable working conditions. They were more often related to chemical exposure (40.5 %) and increased labor severity (28.4 %) mainly attributed to equipment design defects (58.1 %) and imperfect technological processes (33.8 %). This group of workers was noted for a younger mean age (48.1 ± 1.3 years), shorter duration of employment (18.9 ± 1.5 years), and a larger proportion of women (28.6 %) compared to those exposed to harmful and hazardous working conditions. It included employees of such jobs as a lorry driver (27.0 %) and painter (10.8 %) from such types of economic activity as mining (56.8 %) and construction (14.9 %). Poisoning (n = 17), radiculopathy (n = 12), mono(poly)neuropathy (n = 11), and bronchial asthma (n = 8) were found to be the most prevalent occupational disorders in them.

Conclusion: Some circumstances of registration of health disorders in workers with low exposure to occupational risk factors (usually below occupational safety standards) remain unclear. It is critical to establish validity of such a diagnosis, specifics of drawing up a report on a case of occupational disease, and reporting forms of the Russian Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor) describing occupational hazards.

Introduction: Health effects of welding fumes in workers are not limited to fibrosis and irritation of the respiratory tract. Inhalation of a complex mixture of particles and gases from the workplace air can cause damage to the central nervous system and higher incidence of nonoccupational diseases attributed to toxic, allergic, and carcinogenic effects of this risk factor.

Objective: To study characteristics of somatic comorbidities in welders with occupational diseases of the respiratory system.

Materials and methods: The study involved 140 male patients aged 48 to 60 years suffering from occupational respiratory diseases. The main (first) group included gas and electric welders while the reference group consisted of miners and millers with silica-related lung diseases. The mean occupational exposure to industrial aerosols in the groups was 22.8 ± 6.7 and 22.3 ± 6.9 years, respectively. We conducted a questionnaire-based survey and clinical laboratory testing of the workers. The intergroup differences were considered statistically significant at p < 0.05.

Results: We established that lesions of the mucous membrane of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum were the most prevalent comorbidities in the electric welders (72.7 %), followed by dyslipidemia (47.3 %), stage I hypertension (36.4 %), liver diseases (31.8 %), kidney damage (31.1 %), stage II and III hypertension (27.8 %). Coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus were much less frequent and observed in only 4.5 % of the welders. Mucosal lesion of the upper gastrointestinal tract and liver diseases were more prevalent in the welders compared to the reference group. Study limitations: Statistical analysis was carried out using a nonparametric test to compare two independent samples.

Conclusions: Exposure to welding fumes inducing occupational respiratory diseases increases the frequency of a combination of such nonoccupational diseases as lesions of the mucous membrane of the upper gastrointestinal tract and liver damage.

Introduction: Currently, insufficient attention is paid to nonspecific negative factors of the working environment of therapists, such as exposure to electromagnetic fields from electronic devices, lack of standards for the area of working premises (residence rooms), and non-compliance with the optimal work/rest schedule.

Objective: Based on the analysis of literature data, to identify contemporary nonspecific risk factors at workplaces of general practitioners and outline the main ways of their prevention.

Materials and methods: We have reviewed scientific publications indexed in international (Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed) and domestic (RSCI) databases for 2014–2023. Of more than 2,000 sources found, we selected 89 given the keywords and then included 49 papers published over the past 5 years in the review.

Results: Modern therapists are exposed to combined physical and biological factors and experience psychological stress, leading to a higher incidence of work-related diseases. Long-term exposures to risk factors of the work environment increase the risk of job burnout and psychological maladjustment resulting in negative personality changes, deterioration of health and relationships with colleagues, patients, relatives and, ultimately, a decrease in the effectiveness and quality of medical care provided.

Conclusions: We have considered and systematized factors of the work environment of therapists with a focus on less studied, but no less significant current nonspecific negative factors, and outlined the main directions for solving the problem of maintaining health of medical professionals.