Health promotion in the context of behavioral economics: gender aspects

The article discusses the gender aspects of health, proceeding from the assumption that taking them into account is likely to increase the effectiveness of motivational measures in the field of forming healthy lifestyles. The methodological basis of this paper is the concept of health promotion supported by WHO that is based on intersectoral and interdisciplinary approaches. It incorporates both a certain system of values, primarily active involvement of people in maintaining their health, and a set of state activities, among which motivating people to healthy lifestyles is important. Behavioral economics as an area of an interdisciplinary research on decision-making substantiates the mechanisms that should be used, among other things, to achieve the goals of healthcare policy, and to solve such problems of modern society as lack of physical activity, tobacco and alcohol abuse, and unhealthy diet. Gender approach that includes gender aspects in the process of analyzing the situation and making political decisions aimed at improving population health becomes a precondition for increasing the effectiveness of motivational measures taken in the interests of promoting the health of citizens. The results of the surveys on the impact of behavioral factors on the health status of the population of Russia conducted by the Russian statistical agency (Rosstat) in 2013 and 2018 were used as a source of empirical data. They made it possible to identify both the differences and the similarities of women and men with regard to behavior motives concerning certain parameters of a healthy lifestyle, namely physical activities and diet. The authors conclude that, despite the importance of using measures aimed at changing behavior, sustainable overcoming of gender stereotypes depends on the intersection of behavioral and socio-economic determinants of health and healthy behavior.