Social Determinants of Human Health: Quantitative and Qualitative Studies

Abstract

The study is devoted to the analysis of social determinants of human health, their quantitative and qualitative aspects. The analysis was carried out according to the authors' methodology, which includes a comparison of the results of the questionnaire (subjective qualitative assessment) and the correlation analysis of social determinants with the life expectancy indicator. The Republic of Tatarstan, a dynamically developing region of the Russian Federation, where life expectancy is much higher compared to other regions (75.03 years in 2019), was chosen as the territorial object of analysis. The study hypothesized that it could be proved that social determinants were the most important component of health, and without them, its formation, maintenance, and strengthening would be impossible. Based on the results of the comprehensive analysis, the hypothesis was confirmed: 1) the qualitative analysis confirmed that the respondents were aware of the impact of social determinants on their health and identified individual indicators: the level of social security, stress, ecology, as well as immediate environment and working conditions; 2) the results of the quantitative analysis made it possible to state that health was affected by the following social determinants: divorce rates, environmental pollution, provision of medical services, construction rates and housing costs.