Assessment of health risks by working population as a factor in choosing a strategy for self-preservation

The article has aimed to identify and classify behavioral risk-associated strategies of self-preservation among adult working population in urban areas in Russia, perception of health risks taken into account. The research object is represented by people aged 18-68 years who live in three Russian cities with their population beyond 1 million. The empirical basis of the study is quantitative (the method was formalized questionnaire; n = 300) and qualitative data (the method was in-depth interview; n = 17), which have been collected and analyzed within the framework of a mixed methodology per the "additional coverage" type. Four groups of health risk factors have been studied: living conditions, sanitary and epidemiological, social and natural ones. Health risks have been subjectively assessed by the respondents as a combination of likelihood of negative events and their severity (each indicator was estimated with the range between 0 and 1). Social risk factors (criminal and illegal actions of other people, traffic accidents, terrorist attacks and military actions) have been revealed to be perceived by Russians as the most hazardous to health. Sanitary-epidemiological risks are ranked the second per their significance. The study identifies specific types of individual self-preservation based on the intention either to reduce risk or avoid it and on the nature of actions (active or passive): acting, avoiding, waiting and adapting. Quantitative data have shown the share of "active" is significantly lower that among Russians than that of "passive" (on average 25 % versus 75 %). Passive behavior is caused not only by a low level of knowledge about risks and ways to minimize them but also by Russians not being interested in solving these issues, the desire to shift responsibility for risk management to others (even if they distrust their strengths and capabilities). It seems advisable to develop and implement a strategy aimed at preventing and controlling health risks, monitoring of subjective risk perception and using its results to raise people’s awareness about potential hazards. Rospotrebnadzor, within implementing its functions and powers, should provide comprehensive communication about sanitary-epidemiological and other health risks, group and individual ways and methods to minimize them; this communication should be widely available and easily understood per both its form and contents. This will make for correct choice on self-preservation strategies and, consequently, health promotion among the country population.