Vydrov A.S.
Amur State Medical Academy of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Blagoveshchensk 

Abstract. Current rates of disability due to eye diseases in the Russian Federation remain high. The number of blind and visually impaired in Russia in 2011 added up to about 218,000 people, including 103,000 blind people. The low vision and blindness rates equaled to 19.1 per 10,000 population. The last decade of the XX and XXI centuries was characterized by unfavorable trends in population health – increased morbidity, disability and mortality.

The aim of the study was to assess dynamics and forecast primary disability due to eye diseases among residents of the Amur region.

The study collected and summarized information on the main indicators characterizing primary disability due to disease of the eye and adnexa in adult population of the Amur region for quite a long period of time (1992-2011). The study was based on official statistics of the Ministry of Health of the Amur region, the Bureau of medical and social assessment of the Amur region. Figures were calculated per 10,000 population in prodetsimille (^î/_îîî).

The most common causes of disability due to primary eye diseases in adults in the Amur region include the following: glaucoma, myopia and retinal degeneration. The retirement-age population predominated in the structure of adult primary disability in the Amur region in 2002-2011. Primary ophthalmic disability in the Amur region dynamically decreased from 6^î/_îîî to 1.4^î/_îîî (P <0,001). Among the urban population, the highest rates of primary disability were reported. The urban population predominated in the structure of primary disability almost throughout the entire period under study (1992-2011).

A significant drop in prevalence of disability group II was identified: from 63.3% in 1992 to 25.8% in 2011 (P <0,01). Prevalence of disability group III increased from 21.5% to 46.2 %. Prevalence of primary disability group I almost doubled from 15.2% to 28% with a tendency to further growth. According to forecast, the rates of primary disability in the Amur region may increase up to about 4.1^î/_ÎÎÎ by 2016. The urban population predominated in the structure of primary disability in the Amur region almost throughout the entire period under study - 1992-2011 with the city-village ratio 55%:45%. The highest rates of primary disability were reported in the urban population as well.

The overwhelming majority of people - 68.5%, with the newly granted first group of disability are of the retirement age.

Prevalence of granting disability group II decreased by 59.7% while prevalence of granting disability group III increased by 114.9%. Prevalence of primary disability group I increased by 84.2%. Thus, disability as a social challenge leads to a reduced healthy life and substantial economic loss. In Russia, contributors include the outrunning growth of primary disability compared to mortality over the past few years; increased primary disability among the working ages; regionalization of disability issues with its high rates concentrating within the economically disadvantaged areas.

Keywords: ophthalmopathology; disability; morbidity; Amur region; eye diseases.

References

1. Velichkovskiy B.T. Reforms and population health. Ekonomika zdravookhraneniya 2001;45:28-31. (In Russia).
2. Vydrov A.S., Komarovskikh E.N., Kafanova N.Yu. Analysis of primary disability caused by ophthalmopathology in the adult population of Amur region. Zdorov'e naseleniya i sreda obitaniya 2013;240(3):89-91. (In Russia).
3. Libman E.S. State and dynamics of blindness and visual disability due to eye pathology. Rossiyskiy oftal'mologicheskiy zhurnal 2012;(1):26-32. (In Russia).
4. Lisitsin Yu.P., Ulumbekova G.E. Public health and health care. Moscow: GEOTAR-MED; 2011. 544 p. (In Russia).
5. Maksimenko L.L. Current tendencies in formation of adult population morbidity . Problemy sotsial'noy gigieny i istoriya meditsiny 2002;(6):3-5. (In Russia).
6. Starodubov V.I., Ivanova A.E. Analysis of changes and forecast for population mortality in relation to measures of demographic policy. Sotsial'nye aspekty zdorov'ya naseleniya [series online] 2009 [cited 2011 Feb 06]; 9(1). Available from: http://vestnik.mednet.ru/content/view/101/30/lang,ru/ (In Russia).
7. Starodubov V.I., Kalininskaya A.A., Shlyafer S.I. Primary medical care: current state and development prospects. Moscow: Meditsina; 2007. 264 p. (In Russia).
8. Polunina N.V. Public health and healthcare. Moscow: Meditsinskoe informatsionnoe agentstvo; 2010. 544 p. (In Russia).
9. Shchepin V.O., Tishuk E.A. Analytical review of regional characteristics of population health in Russia. Problemy sotsial'noy gigieny, zdravookhraneniya i istorii meditsiny 2006;(1):3-8. (In Russia).

Write Comment

Please keep the topic of messages relevant to the subject of the article. Personal verbal attacks will be deleted. Please don't use comments to plug your web site. Such material will be removed. Just ensure to *Refresh* your browser for a new security code to be displayed prior to clicking on the 'Send' button. Keep in mind that the above process only applies if you simply entered the wrong security code.
Name:
E-mail
Comment:
Code:*