Assessing probability of comorbid diseases of the CNS and digestive organs in children under combined exposure to chemical factors and factors related to educational process

Abstract

Hygienic assessment of combined effects produced by heterogeneous factors on comorbid diseases in the nervous system and digestive organs in children is vital for early detection and prevention of health disorders given existing risks and threats. Our research goal was to estimate probability of comorbid diseases in the nervous system and digestive organs in children attending primary schools under combined exposure to chemical factors and factors related to the educational process. Our research objects were factors related to the educational process that produced their effects on children aged 7–10 who attended primary schools with different educational programs; chemicals contents in ambient air and air inside classrooms as well as in children’s blood; biochemical parameters of negative effects; models showing cause-and-effect relations. Our research results allowed us to identify priority influencing factors and their share contributions into negative effects development in case there was comorbidity with nervous system diseases and digestive organs diseases; to give grounds for biological markers of negative effects applied for early diagnostics and development of activities aimed at preventing comorbid disorders for schoolchildren. Implementation of an algorithm for calculating and estimating probability of comorbid diseases in the nervous system and digestive organs under combined exposure to heterogeneous factors involves determining additional comorbidity cases among children who attend schools with more comprehensive educational programs in comparison with children attending ordinary schools. Timely and adequate correction of detected influencing factors and development of activities aimed at preventing comorbid health disorders will allow minimizing risks of comorbid diseases in the nervous system and digestive organs in school children under combined exposure to chemical factors existing in the environment and inside classroom and factors related to the educational process.