Sociology of Medicine

BACKGROUND: In the context of depopulation, the problem of risky sexual behavior among adolescents represents a potential demographic threat to the Republic of Belarus and, therefore, requires thorough investigation.

AIM: To characterize the sexual behavior of Belarusian adolescents aged 15–18 over the last 10–15 years and compare these data with foreign studies.

Materials and METHODS: The survey was conducted on a quota-based national sample of adolescents (n=1254) aged 15–18 years from November 01, 2022, to May 31, 2023. The database was developed and registered as a copyrighted work. A comparison was made with a similar study conducted in 2010–2011 (n=949). To compare with foreign data, materials from the Health Behavior of School-Age Children project, conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2021–2022 across 42 countries in Europe, Central Asia, and Canada, were used.

RESULTS: Belarusian adolescents become sexually active one year later than their foreign peers. At age 15, one in 13 boys and one in 17 girls report sexual activity, compared with one in five boys and one in seven girls abroad. By age 16, one in five girls and one in four boys are sexually active. By age 17, the proportion of sexually experienced young men is significantly higher.

International data show differences between regions and countries. For Belarus, the influence of the residence factor has not been established.

The majority of sexually active adolescents consider adolescence to be the optimal age for initiation, indicating a lack of understanding of the risks. Similar to their foreign peers, one in three Belarusian adolescents report that they did not use contraception during their last sexual intercourse.

Belarusian young men, like their foreign peers, show a significantly higher risk of casual sexual relations, regardless of their place of residence. The comparison of data from 2010–2011 and 2022–2023 shows that young people choose unverified sources of information about sexual relations. These trends, therefore, cannot be characterized as positive.

CONCLUSION: Despite much more favorable data in comparison with the countries of Western Europe, Asia, and Canada, as well as some positive shifts observed between 2010 and 2023, the sexual behavior of Belarusian adolescents still remains risky for their health and future reproductive potential.

BACKGROUND: Since 1992, a decline in the birth rate has been registered in Russia. Negative natural population growth has been accompanied by a deterioration in women’s reproductive health and a high incidence of complicated pregnancies and childbirths. Providing follow-up care for women of reproductive age is considered a priority for preventing complicated pregnancies and childbirths.

AIM: The study aimed to analyze and compare the opinions of obstetricians and gynecologists on the risks of complicated pregnancies and the importance of follow-up care for pregnant women.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sociological study “The Role of Follow-Up in the Healthcare of Pregnant Women” involved 157 obstetricians and gynecologists from women’s clinics in the Saratov region. The majority (97%) of respondents were women. Almost half of the respondents (44%) had more than 30 years of work experience. A structured questionnaire developed by O.P. Shchepin et al. was used for data collection.

RESULTS: A recent analysis of the opinions of obstetricians and gynecologists in the Saratov region revealed that the majority (60%) of respondents strongly believed in the importance of enhancing follow-up care in protecting women’s health during preconception preparation, pregnancy, and postpartum management. Meanwhile, 46% of respondents highlighted the importance of follow-up care specifically during pregnancy. According to the respondents, 78% of pregnant women are registered for follow-up early (within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy). Additionally, 88% of respondents attributed late registration to a lack of personal responsibility for health — both for the woman and the unborn child. To facilitate timely registration, 62% of respondents engage in individualized work with women of reproductive age. The possibility of consulting a pregnant woman about the detected diseases in the conditions of public healthсare was mentioned by 70% of the respondents. While 70% of respondents reported observing normal labor courses in their practice, 30% indicated that complicated deliveries occur more frequently. In the context of social care for pregnant women, 62% of respondents issue certificates of transfer to lighter work duties. Responses varied widely regarding the possible causes of endangering the health of a woman and her child. According to 62% of respondents, improving the follow-up care for pregnant women will definitely have an impact on reducing maternal mortality. A comparative analysis revealed that the obstetricians and gynecologists participating in these surveys identified social risks as the primary threats to maternal and child health.

CONCLUSION: The study confirms the social determinacy of complicated pregnancies, which indicates the need to overcome the medicalization of follow-up care for pregnant women.

BACKGROUND: Currently, there is an increase in the number of chronic forms of otolaryngological diseases among children. Many authors emphasize the high need and low availability of specialized medical care and socioeconomic difficulties, which contribute to the earlier, more frequent, and more severe manifestation of otolaryngological diseases in children.

AIM: The study aimed to analyze the prevalence of chronic otolaryngological diseases among the pediatric population in the Novosibirsk Region.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A team of researchers from the Novosibirsk State Medical University together with the Novosibirsk City Children’s Clinical Emergency Hospital assessed the specialized otolaryngological care provided to the pediatric population from 2018 to 2023. The statistical data from the Federal State Statistics Service of the Novosibirsk Region were analyzed using a time series analysis, which includes trend lines, a regression analysis, and forecasting. The approximation coefficient indicates a high degree of accuracy in the study.

The statistical material was processed using the Statistica 6.0 (StatSoft, 2001) and Excel 2011 software packages.

RESULTS: A statistical data analysis from 2012 to 2022 revealed a 74% and 23% increase in the incidence of chronic otitis media and diseases of the tonsils and adenoids, respectively, among children aged 0–17 years in the region.

CONCLUSIONS: The study showed an annual increase in chronic otolaryngological pathology among the pediatric population. In the Novosibirsk Region, the number of cases of recurrent and chronic respiratory pathology among children under 14 years of age increased by 10.1%, with a particularly significant increase among 15–17-year-olds, reaching 19.2%.

Conversely, the incidence of recurrent and long-term ear and mastoid pathology stabilized and decreased by 19.5% in children aged 0–14 years and by 11.7% in adolescents.

For the analyzed period, a significant increase in chronic otolaryngological pathology in the region was found, indicating delayed treatment and low accessibility of specialized medical care for children.

The high number of surgeries on the ear, nose, and throat in children indicates a decompensated course of chronic diseases requiring inpatient care and surgical intervention. The availability of specialized care at the disease onset should be ensured to reduce surgical treatment in pediatric otolaryngology.

BACKGROUND: Medical professions have always been in demand and are socially important. Future specialists should develop not only professional competencies and practical skills but also social and professional values. This process faces certain difficulties and influencing factors. As an agent of professional socialization, the secondary medical education system should create conditions that foster the development of both personal and professional qualities in medical specialists, ensuring their consistent advancement in the process of socialization.

AIM: The study aimed to identify the factors influencing the success or failure of professional socialization within the secondary vocational education system.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The survey was conducted among students at Khabarovsk Medical College and its branches. These institutions include 2320 students across six educational programs. A total of 378 respondents were interviewed using Google Forms questionnaires. Data analysis and generalization methods were used to address the objectives. Descriptive statistics provided by the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences and Microsoft Excel were employed to process the data and analyze the study materials.

RESULTS: The data analysis included the identification of external and internal social factors that contributed to professional socialization of specialists during their secondary medical education. Internal (subjective) factors include motivation to recognize the significance of work, the extent of expression of motivational attitudes (e.g., a desire to assist or treat people), vocational aptitude for the profession, and satisfaction with professional education results and conditions. The external (objective) factors include social, economic, and organizational influences.

CONCLUSION: Contemporary professional socialization is influenced by novel trends in the advancement of secondary medical education, which is associated with the qualitatively different approaches to acquiring general professional, vocational, and cultural competencies. The influence of external and internal factors on professional socialization within secondary vocational education was revealed, with the aim of identifying the factors that contribute to its success or failure. The most important internal factors for the respondents are desire to help people, vocational aptitude for the medical profession, interest in medical specialties, and awareness of the profession’s social importance. The external factors influencing the educational process include high mental workload and organizational aspects of the education.

BACKGROUND: A comprehensive study of the medical and social characteristics and health-related quality of life of medical students is relevant for making science-based decisions in the development, monitoring, and correction of interventions to optimize the educational environment, promote healthy lifestyles, and prevent disease among students.

AIM: To analyze the medical and social characteristics and health-related quality of life of medical university students, as well as to identify factors associated with quality of life.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: An analysis was conducted on the data from a survey administered to 670 students enrolled in the third year of a medical university program specializing in medical care. Health-related quality of life was assessed using the SF-36 questionnaire. The data were collected from October to December 2024. The statistical data processing was performed using the SPSS 25 program.

RESULTS: Medical and social characteristics of students were examined, including demographic indices, lifestyle indicators, and students’ awareness of a healthy lifestyle. Correlation and regression analyses were used to identify the most significant medical and social factors (predictors) and their contribution to the self-reported physical and psychological components of health. For the physical component of health, the student’s gender, work-study arrangements, financial security, adherence to healthy lifestyle principles, physical activity, stress, and awareness of healthy lifestyle issues are important. For the psychological component of health, adherence to healthy lifestyle principles, physical activity, smoking, stress, and awareness of healthy lifestyle issues are relevant.

CONCLUSION: The research on the assessment of medical and social characteristics and students’ quality of life should be expanded to facilitate optimal administrative, managerial, organizational, and preventive decisions regarding the optimization of educational space, health management, and the development of a healthy lifestyle within medical universities. The study’s continuation is planned for the first-year and senior students.

BACKGROUND: The ability of the national health system to fulfill government-mandated tasks in providing quality and affordable healthcare depends on the technical and economic stability of specialized organizations and their ability to effectively manage available funds and attract additional resources to improve the quality of their services. Significant challenges in the sustainable development of medical organizations may be effectively addressed through research and consideration of their distinctive structures and systems, as well as the content and specifics of their services, particularly those of a contemporary high-tech nature. Ensuring the proper quality of medical care at a level not inferior to the global standards necessitates the implementation of these strategies.

AIM: To examine the challenges associated with organizing economically efficient activities within national medical institutions, considering the factors influencing the development and implementation of their sustainable growth strategy. In addition, the study sought to analyze the operation of the healthcare system under conditions of adequate multi-channel organizational and financial support.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The research methods include research and development in ensuring the economic efficiency of specialized institutions, their sustainable development in a changing environment, and the existing order and policy of pricing for paid medical services. In addition, methods of information analysis and synthesis, statistical grouping, and substantive economic interpretation of the reported data on the activities of specialized institutions were used.

RESULTS: The study identified trends in the economic activity of specialized organizations within the current development of the country’s healthcare system. It also examined issues of tariff policy and pricing for paid services, as well as the required profitability levels in specialized institutions. Furthermore, the study investigated the peculiarities and factors influencing the economic sustainability of medical organizations. Additionally, it demonstrated the multi-channel financing model of medical institutions, which depends on budget funds, income from paid services, and sponsorship. The economic peculiarities of pricing methods for provided services and prospective planning of medical institutions were primarily studied, focusing on the substantiation and execution of approved cost estimates and volumes of extrabudgetary financing. The recent guidelines for improving the economic efficiency of healthcare institutions in the provision of paid medical services include the harmonization of tariff pricing mechanisms with marketing methodologies. These guidelines also include a study of target market conditions, accompanied by a comprehensive normative justification of resource consumption across all categories comprising the cost of specialized paid services.

CONCLUSION: The necessity to enhance the efficiency of medical organizations is evident, as the prevailing trends do not adequately address the contemporary demands for upgrading their technical and organizational infrastructure and maintaining the highest standards of medical care.

The paper presents the abstracts of the speeches delivered at the VI International Forum “Sociology of Health,” which was held in 2024 and focused on health issues in the contemporary daily life. The forum discussed the transformations of the physical and social environment to modify human self-preservation behaviors, the evolution of the role of artificial intelligence in replacing humans in everyday tasks, trends in proper nutrition, mental healthcare, as well as some issues of vulnerable social groups, who often fail to engage in these transformations. A close examination of the forum discussions revealed that the use of applied social humanistic knowledge in health management is experiencing a growing demand, both within the Russian Federation and internationally. The strategy of creating an environment that promotes targeted health behaviors is emerging as a prominent alternative to direct social group influence. In the context of healthcare, the potential for digital agents to replace human actors such as doctors and patients for certain tasks is obvious. However, there is currently no evidence of a complete replacement of human labor. The problem of myths, misconceptions, and manipulations in the perception of healthy lifestyles remains relevant. Sociology may contribute to addressing these issues by providing a diagnostic framework and substantiating interventions. In addition to physical health, there is a growing interest in mental health. Finally, selected vulnerable groups, including the older generation and people with disabilities, are considered in the context of their adaptation to the new everyday life. Due to its interdisciplinarity and the consideration of the interests of different groups, the reviewed forum is of particular importance as a platform for communication between social humanistic researchers and healthcare managers on relevant issues.

The article is available at: https://rjsocmed.com/1728-2810/article/view/634563

An error has been found on page 124 of the article entitled “Medical and Sociological Analysis of Health Status and Quality of Life of Persons Aged 60 and Older in the Grodno Region” published in the Sociology of Medicine journal (Vol. 23, No. 2, 2024, doi: 10.17816/socm634563). The information regarding the ethical review of the research protocol was found to be inaccurate.

At the request of the authors, the error in the ethical review data has been corrected. The original version of the published article has been replaced by the publisher with the corrected version. Additionally, the information presented on the website has been rectified.

The following text contains the accurate section on ethical review of the conducted study: The research program was reviewed by the Ethics Committee and approved at the meeting of the Scientific and Technical Council of Grodno State Medical University (order of the Vice-Rector for Scientific Work No. 47-L (a/d) dated 12.21.2022).

The authors and the publisher express their sincere apologies to the readership for this error, which they believe did not have a substantial impact on the perception and interpretation of the study’s findings.