The paper presents comparative analysis of the number of “A” group personnel with doses due to artificial radiation sources exceeding 20 mSv/year and the number of certain groups of population with doses due to natural ionizing irradiation sources exceeding 20 mSv/year as well. The analysis is based on the data from ESKID (Integrated System of Individual Dose Control) and radiation hygienic passports of 2006–2010. The difference in approaches to the radiation protection providing of these two categories of citizens of the Russian Federation is shown.

The paper describes the experience of the laboratory of radiation monitoring in the the Kirov region since 1963. The results of long-term measurements of the environmental objects are presented. Gamma background measurement and investigation of radionuclides’ content in depositions are compared as methods for radioactive contamination assessment.

In the article the peculiarities of ideas about the catastrophe at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster at the persons who have suffered from radiation during liquidation of the accident’s consequences. View of the accident was considered as a key element of a person’s mind, in particular the adaptive. There were 30 persons, who took part in the research – participants of Chernobyl disaster’s liquidation, veterans of division of an extra risk. The subjective assessment of mental health at persons who survived in Chernobyl disaster was defined; personal properties of victims were revealed; interrelations between personal properties and subjective assessment of mental health were established. It is possible to assume that in process of moving away from the moment of the accident the content of view of Chernobyl disaster shows concentration of the person on experience of mental health and the personal potential.

Today, the incidence of tumors in the most part of the territory of the Chelyabinsk region, exposed to radiation influence after the accident at «Mayak» in 1957 (Argayashsky, Kunashaksky, Krasnoarmejsky, Kaslinsky, Sosnowsky areas and Kyshtym), is lower than the average value for the Chelyabinsk region in total. Screening for cancer using questionnaire method allows detecting not only early, but late stage of tumors, as well as creating awareness of «practically healthy» population about the symptoms of cancer.

For revealing the main factors determining the frequency of radiation reactions and radiation complications in cancer patients previously exposed to chronic accidental exposure associated with the activity of the plant «Mayak», the data from medical records of 89 patients, treated with external beam radiotherapy from 1995 to 2011, and had reference to chronic radiation exposure history are analyzed. The assessment of peripheral blood, the nature and severity of radiation reactions and complications was performed. Statistical processing of the data revealed that the factors determining the frequency and severity of radiation reactions did not differ in features in cancer patients with chronic radiation exposure history. The value of absorbed dose has no significant effect on the frequency of radiation reactions.

In the first report on the problem of radiation – psychological stress – immunity – health, we analyse literature data and the results of our studies on health disorders in veterans of special risk units with such disorders caused by both radiation and non-radiation factors. We show their significance in formation of chronic psychological stress, and their impact on the immune system and health. Health disorders develop within the scheme: radiation – stress – immune system – health. In further communications on the issue, we plan to justify this scheme by the analysis of health disorders for liquidators of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (ChNPP) accident, for the population of the territories contaminated with radionuclides after radiation accidents and nuclear tests, and for exposured professionals.

The article provides radiation-hygienic description of the situation in the territories of the Sverdlovsk region subjected to radioactive contamination as a result of the 1957 accident at the production association "Mayak", shows the role of agencies and institutions of the Federal Service on Customers' Rights Protection and Human Well-being Surveillance in ensuring radiation safety, presents summarised data of radiation-hygienic monitoring of food products and of environmental objects, as well as assessments of doses to residents. The paper also gives estimations for the main population health indicators and presents problems of social protection of victims and solutions to these problems.

Experience of medical protection at radiation accidents is analyzed. It is shown, that medicines that have been in the arsenal of medical service during the liquidation of consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident satisfied their predestination in a whole and were rather effective for radiation protection. The modern strategy of pharmacological maintenance based on use of means and methods, allowing to keeping a life, health and professional serviceability of people in conditions of amazing action of a complex of factors of radiation accidents, is submitted.

The article is devoted to 50-year experience of training of specialists in radiating hygiene and radiating protection in radiating hygiene cathedra of NWSMU after I.I. Mechnikov.