Specifics of medical perceptions in the Russian peasantry during the late empire period

The issue of the nation's health has always been quite topical in Russian society. In the past, citizens' attitudes towards the process and means of health and healthcare are determined by tradition and mentality. If epidemics broke out, Russian peasants primarily tried to cure the illnesses they encountered themselves. And only if the condition worsened, they turned to healers (herbalists, folk healers, grandmother-healers, quack-doctors). As formal medicine emerged, especially in cases of epidemics, the demand for professional doctors increased in society. With the arrival of official healthcare system, they started consulting professional physicians. However, quality healthcare remained beyond the reach of Russian peasants for a number of reasons. First of all, the remoteness of health facilities, which were mainly based in cities. Second, the low level of qualification of middle and lower levels of staff, and, most importantly, the lack of trust in new treatment methods, made health care inaccessible to the rural population, which continued to focus on folk medicine and healing methods until the end of the Russian Empire.