Research of the factors influencing the health of rural and urban schoolchildren studying at secondary educational institutions by sanitary-hygienic indicators

Abstract

Тhe state of children’s health care at the secondary schools in Ukraine does not meet today’s requirements. The analysis of statistical data and the results of scientific research over the last decade indicates a significant increase in the incidence in the students, the frequent transition of acute diseases into chronic forms. The transition of secondary schools to a new content, structure and 12-years period of study is inseparable from the creation of the necessary conditions for students, as well as teachers, the improvement of the health care of the educational institutions. Reformation of education is a requirement of current glob al trends, because only its implementation can bring about 20% of national income growth in the countries with advanced modern technologies. Nowadays, the practical task of the creation of the conditions necessary to ensure the harmonious development of a young person as a unique one and the highest value for society, the development of his talents, mental and physical abilities, formation of the citizens capable of conscious social choice, enrichment on this basis the intellectual, creative and cultural potential of the people faces the econdary educational institution (SEI) as the main link of public education. Thus, the above data indicate the relevance of the scientific elaborations in the solution of the roblem of the protection and preservation of the health of the students of secondary educational institutions during 12 years which is many-sided and acute right now. The objective of our research was to determine the dependence of the indicators of students’ health onOur studies demonstrate that the material and technical basis of urban and rural SEI has not changed significantly over the last 20 years and does not meet the hygienic requirements (equipping with services and utilities – water supply, heating, sewerage; in architectural-and-planning decisions – set of premises, lighting, ventilation) in 72% of cases. It is especially concerned with the rural SEI, where there are no gymnasiums in 36%; assembly halls in 67%; training computer rooms in 69%. Due to the organization of the grades for the children six years of age on the basis of existing school premises, the index of actual occupancy of the SEI exceeds the design level by 26.7% in urban SEI and by 4.5% in rural SEI, which has resulted in a two-session training regime. Nowadays, only one-fifth of the first-grade students in Ukraine, i.e. about 22%, have necessary conditions for stay and study, and the rest, almost 78% of the first-year students study at SEI where there are no such conditions. In mentioned SEI, the data of statistical reporting and medical records of 49,193 students, have been studied and analyzed in details. The number of the children with functional disorders in health state (II and III health groups) is naturally higher in all age groups of surveyed students who studied at SEI with unsatisfactory sanitary-hygienic conditions and the organization of educational process in comparison with the similar indicators in their peers who studied under optimum conditions. Dependence of health indicators of the children on the conditions and organization of training at school has been substantiated. The proportion of sick students in 2-nd, 5-th and 7-th grades with satisfactory conditions was lower in comparison with the similar grades where these conditions were unsatisfactory (13.3% vs. 15.8% (p<0.05) in 2-nd grades; 9.5% vs. 10.2% (5<p) in 5-th grades; 8.9% vs 13.9% (p<0.001) in 7-th grades). In urban and rural students at SEI with unsatisfactory conditions for training and in a combination with a two-session training organization, the general, primary, acute, infectious and pathological lesion rates of the students are 1.2; 1.3; 1.5 and 1.1 times as high, respectively, in comparison with the SEI with satisfactory conditions and organization of training (p<0.05). the sanitary-hygienic conditions and the organization of training in urban and rural SEI.