Active ageing index of Russian regions: alternative approach

The article discusses the issues of calculating the Active Ageing Index in Russia and its regions. It presents an overview of the existing approaches to assessment, highlights their advantages and disadvantages. The main drawback of the considered approaches is the unavailability of data for calculating the index - statistical observations and surveys used are carried out irregularly or not for all subjects of the Russian Federation. An alternative approach to assessment of the Active Ageing Index in the regions of Russia is proposed. The information base for calculating the index is data tracked on a regular basis annually for all subjects of the Russian Federation. The index calculating is based on five indicators grouped by three dominants (health, labor activity and safety). The index indicators are selected according to five criteria. Construction of the Active Ageing Index includes four consecutive stages. To obtain normalized indicators, threshold values are set - minimum and maximum. The proposed approach to the construction of the Active Ageing Index was tested on data for 2020. The results of the assessment showed that not all subjects of the Russian Federation have successfully implemented measures in the field of active ageing, and the results are uneven. No subject of the Russian Federation has reached the fixed threshold (target) values for all indicators of the Active Ageing Index. This approach to assessment allows, firstly, to regularly identify shortcomings of the regional target indicators and inconsistency of the regional policy goals with the national goals and requirements of international organizations; and, secondly, to compare regions by how they cope with achieving results in active ageing in order to identify the best practices.