The third international conference called Clinical Consequences of the Chornobyl Catastrophe: The Conclusions of Fifteen Years of Research has recently drawn to a close. Experts from the CIS, Canada, USA, Europe, and Japan convened in Kyiv to address this perpetually pressing issue. A distinctive feature of the conference was the discussion of what had until recently been ignored in Ukraine, the social and psychological rehabilitation of the afflicted population. This problem has been since long addressed in the West, while we mainly concentrated on somatic health and radiation levels. The population’s lack of preparedness for accidents of this scale and the scarcity of information on nuclear energy have in turn produced a lack of rehabilitation mechanisms. Despite the fact that centers of social and psychological rehabilitation have opened in Ukraine under the UN Chornobyl program, their dismal number fails to ensure effective action. Presently, five centers are operating in the total of twelve oblasts with affected status. Yet the five years of their work have not produced sufficient experience to develop effective mechanisms to work with the victims. According to UN Chornobyl program coordinator and psychologist Oksana HARNETS, not always can the experience and methods of western countries like Canada and the Netherlands, which the centers’ personnel rely upon, be applied here. In her opinion, this can be primarily attributed to people’s mentality. However, the strong need for psychological rehabilitation remains beyond doubt. According to sociological surveys, the victims of the catastrophe suffer not only from disorders of a physiological and physical nature, but also from psychological disorders. According to surveys conducted at the Kyiv Institute of Radiation Medicine, the Chornobyl catastrophe caused profound changes in people’s system of values. The tragedy became a sort of milestone for them, which bisected their lives into before and after the catastrophe. In most cases these people feel like inferior members of society. Quite often their social inactivity has absolutely nothing to do with their physical condition and is caused solely by the psychological realization of their victimization. As The Day was told by institute’s medical doctor, research worker of the Institute of Radiation Medicine, and Chief of the Laboratory of Social Studies Valentyna PRYLYPKO, not only those who witnessed the catastrophe but also their children are bound to feel its consequences. What makes them different from their peers is that their basic life values do not include social activity, permanent jobs, and success. Their parents’ and their own health is something they simply cannot imagine. According to other surveys, in the stricken regions the rate of chronic depression and suicidal behavior is 50% higher compared to other regions. Conference participants believe the only way out of this situation is to concentrate efforts on this problem and focus more attention to the psychological aspect in the work with the population that suffered as a result of the Chornobyl accident.
