Environmental assessment of the territories on the example of municipalities of the Smolensk region

Abstract

The article discusses approaches to assessing the health status of children on the example of a model research region—the Smolensk region. A description of the data set for an 18-year observation period is given in order to identify territorial differences in the incidence rates of ecologically caused diseases. When assessing the health of the population at the regional level, first of all, it is necessary to select a population group, formalize and standardize the base of parameters characterizing health, and also apply such data processing methods that will allow unambiguous interpretation of the results. All these requirements can be taken into account by applying mathematical and cartographic modeling. The cartographic component is a continuation and development of a mathematical model that ensures the processing of initial data in accordance with the goals and objectives of medical and geographical research. The subsequent cartographic interpretation of mathematical calculations leads to the creation of spatial visualization, which also serves as a tool for multilateral analysis of the results. For the analysis were taken indicators of the general morbidity of children, following the International Classification of Diseases, in the following classes: respiratory diseases; diseases of the digestive system; diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue; diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue. As a result, the ranking of the studied territorial units (25 municipal districts and 15 cities) was obtained according to four morbidity indicators. Based on these data, a series of maps was created, reflecting the spatial distribution of health characteristics over an 18-year observation period. The results obtained using absolute indicators revealed a gap in the values of the integral indices. The application of the methodology can contribute to the formulation of goals and objectives of strategies for the socio-economic development of regions and municipalities, measures to improve the health of children.