Social feeling and aftercare of Chernobyl rescuers (on the occasion of thirtieth anniversary since the disaster)

The article substantiates the status of the Chernobyl accident as a social disaster. The author analyses approaches to scientific definition of such concepts as disaster, damage, rehabilitation after the consequences of accidents at nuclear facilities. The paper summarises data of monitoring studies assessing the main indicators of lifestyle of Chernobyl liquidators. The main provisions of the conception of social rehabilitation of radiation victims are discussed.