Health Values and Changing Society in Russia

Abstract
Despite of significant efforts for explaining the current health crisis in Russia on the basis of socio-economic and behavioural factors, there is still lack of knowledge on what cultural factors and societal processes are related to health and well-being of the population. The main aim of the project is to increase understanding of health values in Russia reflected in policy making, media publicity and public opinion.
 
The specific objectives of the project are:

1. to assess current health policy, key federal health programs and policy processes
2. to clarify the role of the media in  reflecting and creating values related to health
3. to increase knowledge of dominating health values and norms and prevailing health culture among the adult population
4. to advance understanding of differences in health policies, media publicity and health cultures between Russia and Finland.

The project has two basic theoretical approaches to be utilised in the study: the structuralistic-semiotic concept of culture and gender, which is understood as a cultural product. The project will use mainly qualitative materials, i.e. individual and group interviews, policy documents and mass media texts.

Project director:
Dr. Pauliina Aarva, School of Public Health, University of Tampere, pauliina.aarva(at)uta.fi, tel. +358 - (0)3 2157337, fax +358 - (0)3 2156057

Researchers:
Ilkka Pietilä, University of Tampere, ilkka.pietila(at)uta.fi
Aleksandra Dvoryanchikova, University of Tampere
Olga Shek, Centre for Independent Social Research, St. Petersburg

Research assistant:
Elena Taranukhina, University of Tampere

Project description