The competence in health issues of population of circumpolar region of the Russian Federation

Abstract

The health literacy of citizen is determined by a set of demographic and social factors. The deficiency of health literacy of population in the Russian Arctic Zone conditions delay in indicators characterizing population health from their all-Russian values and menaces ability to achieve the targets of the National Strategy of Development of Russian Arctic Zone and Ensuring National Security up to 2035.The purpose of the study is to assess level of health literacy of patients and healthy population residing in circumpolar territories of Russia (Arkhangelsk Oblast).The level of general health literacy in the subgroups of respondents varied in narrow range of 26.9-36.3 points. The most significant difference was established between scores of interactive health literacy (Δ = 4.1 points) and critical health literacy (Δ = 3.4 points), which were higher in group of healthy respondents. The predictors of level of general health literacy are clinical status (value of dependent variables in healthy respondents was on average higher on 0.75-1.73 points), self-assessment of one's positioning in society (every additional point increases average level of general health literacy by 0.47-0.79 points) and age (every additional year of life reduces level of general health literacy by 0.08 - 0.09 points). The results of the study indicate on dependency between clinical status and the level of health literacy, determine social characteristics of risk group with low health literacy as object of additional preventive measures directed at citizen residing in in circumpolar terrotories of The Russian Federation.