Psychology and Sociology
Ph.D.
Ershova I.F., Associate Professor
of Philosophy
South-Russia
State University of Economics and Services, Russia
Problems of health in modern Russia
Caring for the environment has become a global
phenomenon. People all over the world consider environmental problems to be serious
and more threatening to human welfare and discover personal concern for these
problems [1].
We consider health care, first of all, as a system of medical
treatment, which has a great responsibility for the health of the population.
The health care system in Russia has undergone some
radical changes. The level of public health in Russia was significantly lower
than in developed countries: “...the dynamics of morbidity and mortality in
Russia has a poor character ranging approximately from mid-60s” [2].
Although some health indicators have
been improved in recent years public health is being characterized by such
factors as high mortality: maternal, infant, male in the middle and younger
age. Acute illnesses occurring exogenously are followed by pathology in the
form of chronic infectious diseases, a number of mental and infectious diseases
is being increased; the morbidity rate of employed population is high.
Each year a number of
digestion disorders, endocrine system diseases, metabolic diseases and
immunity, blood-forming organs, nervous system and sense organs, circulatory
system, genitourinary system and congenital anomalies (malformations) are being
increased.
The number of registered patients with newly diagnosed
cancer, active tuberculosis and infertility among women is growing every year. The
number of abnormalities of maternity, as well as the number of babies born sick
or diseased (weighing about 1000 g.) is being increased. The health potential
of the population is being decreased; 40% of babies are born with certain
abnormalities, and only 10-14%
of all children who start school are practically healthy.
Our health is primarily influenced by our society, the
nature of social interaction and the quality of social institutions. Therefore,
an individual’s health is the result of not only heredity (genetic level), but
also the interaction with the outside world. This interaction in the form of
the environmental impact or certain activities of an individual, behavior and
routine is permanent.
The person’s way of life depends on, firstly, the set of
characteristics: age, gender and descriptive characteristics: social status,
education, occupation, etc. Secondly, the formation of life style is under the
influence of objective and subjective factors. Some sides of life are
determined by people themselves, while the others are under the influence of
economic, political and social conditions of the environment. Based on the
model of social activity, health can be considered as a result of people’s
activities, and depending on their social position (status):
1) position and
the opportunities to use health services, income and opportunities to pay for
medical services, prophylactic and recreation;
2) sanitary and
other labor conditions.
Up to 55% of the base layer are women, mostly families
with children. Most of members of this stratum join the ranks of the
unemployed. The mood
of “the base layer” is generally pessimistic.
Poverty, unemployment, compelled migration, family breakups,
insecurity in future, loss of sense of security, crime increase, family and
work conflicts lead to stress, a violation of psychological and physical health
of people [3].
Judging by the structure of the modern Russian society,
one can assume that about a third of the population has the opportunity not to
lose, but maintain and restore the existing potential of health: eat well,
relax and live in good conditions, etc.
The low level of living of the majority of the
population, primarily affected the quality of food. People do not eat much
fruit, meat, milk, dairy products and confectionery trying to save money. And if the quality of the diet does not get
worse from the exclusion of the pastry, then the rest of food products are
necessary for proper nutrition. These priorities in purchasing products allow
us to judge the continuing imbalance of food, where there are not enough foods
containing minerals, vitamins, and microelements.
The first factor describes a specific set of products,
including fruit, meat, dairy products, eggs, pastries, which corresponds to no
limitation or restriction in eating of these products. This factor also
includes the questions about the refusal of food, as well as the necessary footwear,
clothes, household items and is interpreted as a rare failure. This factor is
positively correlated with income, and has an inverse correlation with age.
The second factor describes a bit different set of
products, no meat, fruit, pastry, but there is a vegetable oil, sugar, bread,
flour, cereals, pasta, potatoes and vegetables.
The third factor describes the high possibilities of the
respondents in using of non-food items, as well as the needs in various
activities.
The structure of food is characterized by eating of less
expensive and more high-calorie foods rich in animal fats and starch. Children,
adolescents and pregnant women are of particular concern to the lack of food,
causing an imbalance. Health of pregnant women and mothers is characterized by
an annual increase in anemia [4].
Long-term absence of the necessary foods for people in
their diet will eventually impact on health. The results of food deterioration
can be detected based on the growth of social illnesses, “diseases of poverty”.
The lack of budget makes people give priority to purchase food, clothes and
footwear. The contributions to the future: the purchase and construction of
housing, education of children are becoming impossible for many families.
The period of radical reforms was marked by the massive
processes of deterioration of public health, which was caused by two groups of
factors: objective and subjective.
The reform of the health care system, the transfer of
responsibility for health from the state to the citizens affected the adaptive behavior of the population. It
can be assumed that the adaptive behavior is influenced by the Russian culture peculiarities
in relation to health. The part of the population changes their cultural
attitude to health, for example, some people can spend much more on health and
proper nutrition, exercise, proper rest, since health is considered as a
necessary resource in the implementation of upward mobility. For some of the
population the importance of health should be increased. Another part, which
does not have the physical and psychological resources, will be characterized
by the degradation behavior, including
in relation to health.
The relationship between the low level of health and
poverty was determined [5].
The morbidity rate of the population with active tuberculosis and venereal
diseases is being increased. As to such a social disease as alcoholism, when
the number of patients registered in hospitals with a diagnosis of alcoholism
and alcoholic psychosis is being reduced, at the same time the number of
patients with a diagnosis of drug addiction and abuse is being increased.
The influence of bad sanitary living conditions, small
size or lack of housing proved to be harmful for our health. The morbidity rate
of rural population is higher, and the quality of medical care in rural areas
is significantly lower than in cities and towns.
It is difficult to determine where the objective
conditions leading to poor health get over and the subjective ones begin.
However, bad habits are usually referred to subjective factors.
Another important factor is working in industries dealing
with hard, harmful and dangerous working conditions. For several years it was
assumed that people who chose adverse conditions were attracted by a number of
benefits: reduced hours, higher wages, early retirement (the average life
expectancy of people who work on such enterprises is shorter in proportion to
seniority). Today, during the period of unemployment, harmful industries have
become attractive due to the fact that employment in them gives an opportunity
to get their livelihood.
Today, the attitude toward health is being formed as an
untouchable private property the owner can do with whatever they wish. The
Russian way of life does not allow people to stop and think about their health
until they get ill. We can talk about the dual attitude to the value of health
- in words it is recognized, but in fact takes the second place after wealth.
Health care of both an individual and the entire
population is part of the culture of the society and its characteristic
features. The value of health is evident and the development of health care is
the natural process of evolution. The situation in health care and public
health may pose a threat to the survival and the active development of Russia.
Each next generation of the Russians can be born less healthy and at the same
time less viable.
References:
1. Denlap, R.E. Health of the
planet / / Case Studies. - 1992. - ¹ 12
2. Nazarov, I.B. The health of the population in
Russia / Case Studies. - 1998. - ¹ 11
3. Zaslavskaya, T.I. Social Structure of Modern
Russian Society / Social Sciences and the present. - 1992. - ¹ 2
4. Shevaldina, E.I. Social-environmental factors
of children’s health / Case Studies. - 1997. - ¹ 3
5. Chernina, N.V. Poverty as a
social phenomenon in Russian society / Case Studies. - 1994. - ¹ 3