Internet education in the sphere of medicine and the attitude of Russians to their health and vaccination

Abstract

The article reviews the forms of medical enlightenment in social networks that are in demand by the population of modern Russia. The authors' attempt to analyse the online medical discourse was supplemented by surveys that revealed important topics about health for Russians. The results of 2 sociological studies (2018-2019) on the phenomenon of medical education are considered. In the first study, in the course of a representative survey on two samples (heterogeneous by age and youth), the respondents' need for knowledge about health and medicine was revealed. On the subject of vaccination, an analysis of unstructured social media data is provided. The second study showed that more than half of the respondents prefer self-medication, but almost 2/3 undergo medical examination once every 3 years. Traditions and the way of life in parents’ family, as well as habits in one's own family, have a positive effect on the attitudes of self-preserving behaviour. The studies performed confirm the assumption that the social network media environment can be a platform for preventive state educational policy in the field of health-saving practices and self-preservation behaviour of the population of Russia.