Dynamics of social health of the Vologda oblast population

Serious socio-economic perturbations, world wars, crises, urbanization and industrialization determined the necessity of studying social health and conditions promoting its preservation and enhancement in the 20th century. The need to study the issues related to the social health of the Russian society is proved by unstable socio-economic situation, negative trends in the indicators of mental health, crisis condition of the demographic situation. The article gives an estimation of social health of the population in Russia and the Vologda Oblast. It provides a brief analysis of social health according to the main statistical indicators (mortality rate from suicide and homicide, crime rate, the incidence of mental disorders and behavioral disorders, alcoholism and alcohol psychosis and mortality related hereto). The index of social isolation (anomie) of the population has been calculated according to the all-Russian censuses (2002 and 2010). It proves that during the intercensal period there has been a decrease in the level of anomie among the population of Russia and the Vologda Oblast, but the region is characterized by lower pace of this process. The social health of the Vologda Oblast population was assessed on the basis of the public opinion monitoring carried out by the Institute of Socio-Economic Development of Territories of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The results show that social well-being of the Vologda Oblast population is gradually improving; but, at the same time, the level of happiness of the region’s population is lower than the national average; and about one third of the respondents have symptoms of depression. The article concludes that social health can be considered as an integral indicator of the territory’s development, as well as one of the main conditions for objective assessment of governmental reforms. Dealing with negative trends and preventing social pathologies in the society are the most important tasks at the present stage; and, therefore, this subject requires further study.