Ukraine is scaling up preparations to conduct its first nationwide survey to assess the prevalence of the risk factors for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including tobacco and alcohol use, physical inactivity, and unhealthy dietary habits. The survey will be based on the WHO-recommended STEPwise approach to surveillance (STEPS), a representative study on risk factors of major NCDs.
A coordination committee led by Ukraine’s Ministry of Health and made up of experts from leading public health institutions, research agencies, and international and nongovernment organizations held its first meeting on 18 April 2019 to discuss the upcoming nationwide survey.
The Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine will carry out the STEPS study jointly with the Ukrainian Institute for Social Research. All stages of survey implementation will be technically guided by WHO and supported by the World Bank.
Dr Feng Zhao, Leader of the World Bank’s Human Development Program in Belarus, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, noted that STEPS will help every country to develop their own surveillance system to monitor and fight against NCDs. “The data provided by the survey are critical for planning and evaluation of effective policies to prevent and control NCDs and, as a result, improving and saving lives.”
“NCDs are responsible for almost 70% of all deaths globally, and in Ukraine this number is even bigger,” added Dr Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative in Ukraine. “Activation of the evidence-based policies in the field of NCD prevention, management and surveillance reduces the burden of NCDs and saves lives.”
About Ukraine’s STEPS survey
The STEPS methodology investigates the prevalence of NCDs and their risk factors by applying a standardized questionnaire and undertaking physical and biochemical measurements.
The survey will focus on the adult population of Ukraine (urban and rural) with a total sample of 7700 participants. Data collection will begin in June 2019, and the results of the survey will be available by December 2019.
The survey will provide nationally representative and internationally comparable data on:
- current alcohol and tobacco use;
- current fruit and vegetable consumption;
- current salt intake;
- history of NCDs and their treatment; and
- current prevalence of overweight and obesity, raised blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol.
In addition to the standard areas of the STEPS survey, the Ministry of Health has decided to integrate additional NCD-related areas of public health interest, such as mental health (depression and suicide), violence and injury, and cervical cancer (screening and follow-up).
WHO recommends that countries repeat the STEPS survey every 5 years to follow trends, monitor existing health policies and improve NCD prevention and control.
NCDs responsible for more than 90% of all annual deaths
In Ukraine, NCDs are accountable for more than 80% of disability-adjusted life years, a measure of the number of years lost due to ill health or early death. NCDs cause around 90% of all annual deaths in the country, including a high level of premature mortality, especially from cardiovascular diseases.
To prevent and control NCDs, in July 2018 the Government of Ukraine adopted the National Action Plan on Noncommunicable Diseases. The Ministry of Health of Ukraine developed the Action Plan with the technical support of WHO.