SOCIAL ASPECTS OF REFORMING THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM THROUGH POPULARIZATION OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE SPORTS

Abstract

The paper discusses the interpretation of the categories “sports”, “high-performance sports” and “professional sports” and defines peculiarities of each of the concepts in the framework of the study. Thus, “sports” is identified as mass sports, leading to a healthy lifestyle. These are systematic physical exercises to maintain the vital functions of the human body. The category “high-performance sports” is identified with the concept of “professional sports” and formalized as an educational and training process to prepare a person for participation in All-Ukrainian and international sports competitions. It is a person’s professional activity, accompanied by material rewards, coordination of the training process by national coaches, and functionaries of Ukrainian federations. It aims to achieve high results in a particular sport at the world level. The study’s central hypothesis is as follows: “significant achievements of domestic professional athletes at international competitions lead to the active participation of Ukrainian youth in sports.” A system for assessing the impact of the results of high-performance sports on the attitude of young people toward sports and a healthy lifestyle has been formed to confirm the hypothesis quantitatively. The first block of indicators includes indicators that quantitatively characterize the achievements of professional athletes in significant international competitions, such as the Olympic Games, World and European Championships, international Grand Prix, etc. The second block of indicators characterizes the potential opportunities of high-performance sports in Ukraine. These indicators describe the number of professional athletes who can achieve high results in international competitions. The third block of indicators covers indicators that characterize public awareness of the results of international competitions and the achievements of domestic professional athletes. Within this block, we define two separate groups of indicators. The first group of indicators describes the information coverage of the results, and the second group of indicators characterizes the ability of Ukraine to host international sports tournaments. The fourth block of indicators considers indicators characterizing medical support for professional athletes. The fifth block of indicators is a buffer and characterizes the activities of the state in the framework of the popularization of mass sports in Ukraine. The sixth block of indicators describes the reaction of young people to the achievements in high-performance sports. The seventh group of indicators is auxiliary in assessing the level of development of mass sports in Ukraine and characterizes the level of professional growth of Ukrainian coaches. The eighth block of indicators characterizes the activation of interest of the youth in a particular sport as a reaction to the high results of Ukrainian professional athletes in significant international competitions. It has been established that the modern reform of the healthcare system and its connection with physical culture and sports is observed within the framework of two decisions of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine in 2021: On the Human Development Strategy, which defines the main priorities in the development of the country’s most important resource – people; On the State of the National Health System and Urgent Measures to Provide Citizens of Ukraine with Medical Assistance, which defines the main priorities of reforming the healthcare system.