Social Behavior of the Russian Youth in the Health Care Field: Conceptualization Issues in Sociological Discourse

Abstract

The article presents the key elements of individual parameters that determine the behavioral patterns of the youth in the field of healthcare. The author has selected theoretical and methodological backgrounds of sociological understanding of health protection behaviour of youths and defines the problems’ complex of young people’s behavioral strategies positivisation in the context of transformation of the healthcare institution in Russia today. The concept of health protection behaviour of youths is analyzed as dynamic interaction of different variables in a changing social context. Special attention is given to the analysis of behavioral and structural dimensions of health protection models. Currently, there is tendency of overcoming the cognitive one-sidedness of personality and situational approaches. In line with this trend, the health protection behaviour of youths is not regarded as the result of influence of the social situation or individual traits, social values, attitudes and cultural predispositions. The health protection behaviour is seen primarily as a result of young people’s interpretation of the social situation of health problems and «attributing» to it the values and meanings in a socio-cultural context of health care system. The author comes to the conclusion that the contradictory dynamics of the youth self-preserving behavior is observed. On the one hand, young people have basic skills and knowledge in the field of health protection, recognize the need and importance of healthy lifestyle; on the other hand, they realize predominantly passive practices of maintaining and promoting of health.