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Health world views of post-soviet citizens

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  • Abbott, Pamela A
  • Turmov, Sergei
  • Wallace, Claire

Abstract

The collapse of the Soviet Union has had an adverse impact on the lives of the peoples of Russia and Ukraine. This paper reports on qualitative case studies including interviews, focus groups and children's essays from Russia and Ukraine, on the topics of everyday understanding of health and the factors influencing it. The majority report poor health and difficult material circumstances. Their understandings of health and illness are multifactorial and include emotional as well as descriptive elements. Whilst the most frequently cited definition of health is of people with/without health problems, it is evident that health is seen positively, as more than the absence of debilitating illness. There is a strong emphasis on individual responsibility for health and evidence that people are thought to have a moral responsibility to strive to be healthy. However, there is also a strong awareness that the major factors which cause ill health are beyond their control. The findings provide additional support for the health lifestyles theory that has been developed to provide a sociological understanding of the mortality crisis in the former Soviet Union.

Suggested Citation

  • Abbott, Pamela A & Turmov, Sergei & Wallace, Claire, 2006. "Health world views of post-soviet citizens," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 62(1), pages 228-238, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:62:y:2006:i:1:p:228-238
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hinote, Brian Philip & Cockerham, William C. & Abbott, Pamela, 2009. "The specter of post-communism: Women and alcohol in eight post-Soviet states," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(7), pages 1254-1262, April.
    2. Pietilä, Ilkka & Rytkönen, Marja, 2008. "Coping with stress and by stress: Russian men and women talking about transition, stress and health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(2), pages 327-338, January.
    3. Yuka S. Minagawa, 2018. "Changing Life Expectancy and Health Expectancy Among Russian Adults: Results from the Past 20 Years," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 37(5), pages 851-869, October.
    4. Katherine Keenan & Lyudmila Saburova & Natalia Bobrova & Diana Elbourne & Sarah Ashwin & David A Leon, 2015. "Social Factors Influencing Russian Male Alcohol Use over the Life Course: A Qualitative Study Investigating Age Based Social Norms, Masculinity, and Workplace Context," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(11), pages 1-15, November.
    5. Marc Luy & Paola Di Giulio, 2006. "The impact of health behaviors and life quality on gender differences in mortality," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2006-035, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    6. Cockerham, William C. & Hinote, Brian P. & Abbott, Pamela, 2006. "Psychological distress, gender, and health lifestyles in Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 63(9), pages 2381-2394, November.

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