Factors of well-being of the Russian population: regional specificities

Abstract

This research is dedicated to examination of the dominant factors of well-being expressed by the Russians, as well as determination of regional specificity with regards to components responsible for satisfaction with life of population of a corresponding region. Well-being is a growing area of research, however the question of its identification remains unresolved. Currently, more and more scholars lean towards the opinion that the countries should compete not in the level of power or wealth, but happiness and content of their citizens. A crucial task for the government consists in ensuring stable well-being to their citizens, when people have sufficient psychological, social and physical resources. The relevance of this article lies in the need for integration of scientific knowledge on well-being of the population, special sociological analysis of its nature, essence, content, factors, social indicators and regulators in formation of sociological model of well-being, which would allow to adequately assess and optimize government strategy aimed at provision of well-being to social subjects. The empirical base contains four waves of surveying that involved 897 person from Tyumen Region, Yamalo-Nenents Autonomous District, and Saint Petersburg. Using the software SPSS 23.0 for statistical data processing, the author conducted factor analysis of 65 signs that affect people’s well-being. The dominant factors became the economic, ecological, felicitological, medical-technological, social-valeological. It is also determined that the religious factors is not as important for Saint Petersburg, as it is for two other regions. The article describes the factors of well-being essential for men and women. Emphasis is made on clarification of the content of such factors as state-protectionist, investment-strategic, sanological, psychological, etc. A conclusion is made that well-being of the population simultaneously depends on the subjective components (family relations, friends, health condition), and objective components (living conditions, ecological situation in the region, income, state of healthcare system, public order and legal protection). The acquired results are valuable for the scholars, representatives of government structures and government authorities responsible for preparation and implementation of projects aimed at ensuring well-being of the population.