Residents of Mykolaiv are being urged to take part in the national STEP 2026 study to check their health

In the Mykolaiv region, residents are being urged to check their health and take part in the STEP 2026 study. Illustrative photo: NikVesti

The national STEP 2026 study is launching in the Mykolaiv region, as part of which residents of the region are being urged to take part in a survey on their health and risk factors for non-communicable diseases.

This was announced during a briefing by Dmytro Makarov, acting director-general of the Mykolaiv Regional Centre for Disease Control and Prevention of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, according to NikVesti.

Today, one of the main health challenges both in Ukraine and globally is the burden of non-communicable diseases. According to the World Health Organisation, non-communicable diseases are health conditions that are typically long-term in nature and arise from a combination of several risk factors: genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioural.

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The main groups of non-communicable diseases causing the greatest concern within the medical community are cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes mellitus and cancer.

Non-communicable diseases account for over 80 per cent of potential years of life lost and disability, as well as around 90 per cent of deaths, primarily premature deaths, most of which are linked to cardiovascular conditions. At the same time, a significant proportion of these diseases can be prevented through preventive measures, early detection of risk factors and lifestyle changes.

«In order to plan preventive measures and public health programmes effectively, up-to-date medical data is essential. It is for this very purpose that the STEPS study is being conducted in Ukraine — one of the largest studies of the health status of the adult population. It is a standardised method for collecting, analysing and disseminating health data and follows the WHO’s phased approach to epidemiological surveillance of risk factors. This week, STEPS 2026 is launching in the Mykolaiv region,» says Dmytro Makarov.

The study plans to involve 3,900 respondents, who will be interviewed in their own homes. The first stage involves a questionnaire, the second involves physical measurements, and the third involves laboratory tests.

Following the questionnaire and physical measurements, participants will be asked to give a blood sample to determine their levels of glycated haemoglobin, cholesterol, triglycerides, low— and high-density lipoproteins, creatinine and C-reactive protein. Blood samples will be taken by qualified medical staff in accordance with infection control protocols.

«We are therefore calling on residents of the Mykolaiv region to take part in the study if interviewers visit them. This will help to form an objective understanding of the population’s health status and determine further steps to improve it,» says Dmytro Makarov.

In total, over 130 countries worldwide have already taken part in STEPS studies, some on multiple occasions. In Ukraine, such a study was first conducted in 2019.

At that time, the population’s health status was comprehensively analysed and the main risk factors influencing the development of non-communicable diseases were identified.

These are primarily behavioural factors: smoking, alcohol consumption, an unhealthy diet and low levels of physical activity. It is these factors that underlie most non-communicable diseases and, over time, lead to changes in the body — increased blood pressure, body weight, blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

According to the results of a 2019 study, almost a third of Ukrainians had two or more risk factors. 33.9% of the population smoked regularly, and over half (55.4%) consumed alcohol, predominantly men.

Low consumption of fruit and vegetables was recorded in 66.4% of the population, whilst high salt intake was found in almost 87%. More than half (59 per cent) were overweight, a quarter were obese, and 10 per cent were physically inactive.

Furthermore, 34.8 per cent had high blood pressure, and 40.7 per cent had high blood cholesterol levels.

It should be noted that one million citizens have already applied to take part in the national «Health Screening 40+» programme. Once their applications have been processed, each participant will receive 2,000 hryvnias from the state to cover the cost of medical examinations.