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PART 1 CHAPTER IX
Environmental
Factors
The
place where people live and work, together with personal behavior affect their
health in some obvious and not so obvious ways during their life span. A
significant proportion of all human cancers, lung, heart and kidney diseases,
as well as sexual and reproductive health problems is now thought to be
environmentally caused. Environmental hazards have increased tremendously in
the twentieth-century society. To the accidents, stress and communicable
diseases, which people have always encountered in many countries all over the
world, including Armenia, toxic chemicals and radioactive substances have been
added to the list. Chemical substances that are in commercial use might affect
people’s health through drinking water, food, air, clothing, homes and
workplace. Low-level radiation from normally functioning nuclear power plants
and weapons contaminates the environment and people’s bodies in slow stages.
Waste from a nuclear reactor or weapons plant remains radioactive for as long
as 250 centuries. Presently environmental hazards are widespread and nobody
can totally avoid them. Some people, however, are involuntarily exposed to
more concentrated and dangerous hazards at their workplace.
Reproductive
health hazards have harmful effects on both male and female reproductive
system and the development of a fetus. Research has shown that environmental
toxins can disrupt the production of male hormones in the testes, causing loss
of sex drive, impotence and disturbing sperm production. It was found that
men exposed to lead have decreased fertility and malformed sperm. The
pesticide, dibromochloropropane was found to cause decreased sperm counts in
men who work with it. Many people who are exposed to environmental and
occupational hazards have no idea about these hazards and their sequels on
health. Many of those who know about these hazards do not know what to do
about them. Environmental health is basically a community problem that is
impossible to fight alone.
Our
research shows that more than 8% of Armenian men supposed that they have been
exposed to the environmental and/or occupational hazards at their homes or
workplace. More than 20% of respondents were not sure about the possible
exposure, but more than 71% supposed that they live and work in a safe
environment (Figure 1.9.1). Five
men (0.4%) have been exposed in the past to the injuries of the genital
organs.
1.9.1.
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, Smoking and Other Harmful Habits
In
daily lives people usually always encounter stress and or problems that make
them unhappy. Some of them often respond to these pressures by pouring
themselves a drink, lighting a cigarette or taking mood-altering drugs. There
are also people, who develop these harmful habits only for fashion or
diversion without understanding their consequences on health.
According
to the self-appraisal of survey respondents, about 9% of the men were
excessive alcohol users and 45% used it too much just on occasion. Spouses or
partners of only 11 men (0.8%) are using alcohol regularly and about 9% just
occasionally (Figure 1.9.2.).
Excessive drinking over a period of time not only leads to physical
addiction but increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, brain damage and
several cancers. Chronic alcohol abuse affects sexual and reproductive health
of people through their influence on sexual function or giving birth to babies
with fetal alcohol syndrome.
Several
research studies indicate that drug abuse leads not only to physical addiction
and mental degradation but also has serious consequences on reproductive
health and fetal development. Cocaine exposure to males before conceiving is
linked to abnormal development in offspring. The suspected cause is that
cocaine binds with sperm, and therefore finds its way into the egg at
fertilization.
Seven men (0.5%) among this survey admitted to being drug abusers and 40 (2.9%) occasionally tried narcotics. According to the men’s report, the partners of 2 men (0.1%) used narcotics regularly and of 5 men (0.4%) occasionally (Figure 1.9.3.).
More
than 12% of men reported long-term use of medicine for different
health-related problems. About 6% mentioned that their spouses or partners use
some medicine to treat diseases or disorders. Among medicines mentioned were
sedatives, tranquilizers and antidepressant, which are known as mood-altering
drugs.
Research
data indicate that smoking is harmful to health. Smoker’s sperm counts are
on average 13-17% lower than of nonsmoker’s. A study of three smokers who
were followed for 5-15 months after stopping smoking reported that their sperm
counts rose 50-800%, suggesting that toxic chemicals in the smoke are
responsible, and any reduction in sperm count is reversible. Male smokers have
an increase in sperm abnormalities, thereby suggesting a mutagenic effect.
Passive smoking (exposure to the cigarette smoke of others) is a serious
health risk, especially for children.
According
to the results of this survey, the great majority of Armenian men (77%)
and 2% of their partners are regular smokers (Figure
1.9.4.).
On
the average, of those who smoke each man smokes about 1 pack of cigarettes
per day (Mean=21±9.43 cigarettes) and woman from 8 to 9 cigarettes per
day (Mean = 8.6 ±4.25).
Taking
into consideration the price of cigarettes in the Armenian market, it may
be calculated that each man spends about 10 US$ per month and about 120US$
per year for buying cigarettes. On the country level Armenian men spend
about 6 million US$ per month or 72 million US$ per year on cigarettes
(supposing that there are approximately 800000 men of reproductive age in
Armenia, and 77% of those are smokers).
According
to the men’s report, about 2% of the partners are smokers. On a country
level this would indicate about 16000 women smokers. Each woman is
spending about 4 US$ per month or 48 US$ per year on cigarettes. On the
country level, women spend about 64000 US$ per month or 768000US$ per year
on cigarettes (Table 1.9.1. and Figure
1.9.5.). The total reproductive age couples expenditures for cigarette smoking in Armenia is more than US $6 million per month and almost US$ 73 million per year. These figures are alarming! If this money would be spent for Public Health expenses, many deaths might be prevented.
Some
studies suggest that excessive use of the sauna bath might effect
spermatogenesis and result in male infertility (6). The majority of
respondents of this survey (77.5%) never used a sauna bath (Table
1.9.2.).
Nine men (0.6%) used a sauna bath more than 3 times per week, 3% used it
once a week and about 19%, occasionally.
The
information provided above indicates that a significant proportion of
Armenian men may have an unhealthy behavior, which may affect their sexual
and reproductive health and result in long-term infertility. People need
to be informed about the possible consequences of environmental factors
and harmful habits on their health. In many cases with impaired fertility
it might be corrected just by the healthy lifestyle. |