Understanding health in contemporary daily life: discussions at the Sociology of Health Forum

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.