VTSIOM has published data on the health of Russians

Our health: what to do and who is to blame?

Giving up bad habits and timely access to doctors are the main recipes for a healthy lifestyle according to the majority of Russians. Citizens tend to blame themselves for their poor health.

The All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion (VTsIOM) presents data on how Russians take care of their health and on whom or what people's poor health depends.

Taking care of their health, as before, is reduced among Russians to the absence of bad habits (33%) and going to doctors in case of illness (32%). There are more people who are trying to eat right (from 16 to 23% in four years), undergo medical examination (from 12 to 16%). 15% are engaged in sports, watch programs about a healthy lifestyle and read relevant literature. Every fifth person does not pay attention to their ailments (20%), and 11% say that they do not have to take care of their health.

Women are more inclined to take care of their own health. Among the fairer sex, there are more of those who indicate the absence of bad habits (40% vs. 25% among men), eat right (27% vs. 18%, respectively), etc.

Russians, as before, tend to blame themselves for their poor health (35% versus 41% in 2008), as well as a low standard of living (32%) and poor ecology [so in the text – VM] (30%). 25% believe that the unsatisfactory state of people's health is caused by the insufficient qualifications of medical workers, 18% hold the state responsible. 10% of respondents believe that people have been ill at all times, and there is no one to blame for their poor health.

Young Russians tend to blame themselves for feeling unwell (44%). Respondents of pre-retirement and retirement age tend to see the reason for the low standard of living (36-37%), they also more often place responsibility on the state (22-23%).

The initiative All-Russian VTSIOM survey was conducted on April 14-15, 2012. 1,600 people were interviewed in 138 localities in 46 regions, territories and republics of Russia. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4%.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru13.08.2012