To take care of personal health Russians follow doctors` advice and rely on personal experience and relatives` advice in case they want to improve their looks.
MOSCOW, January 21, 2013. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data describing how Russians take care of their health; what medicines they take, and where they get information to solve health problems.
The overwhelming majority of Russians take care of their health (84%). Most of them go to doctors and follow their instructions (38%); they also avoid bad habits (36%). One-quarter of respondents (25%) prefer watching TV programs about healthy lifestyle or read special magazines. Another one quarter of respondents (25%) check their health regularly and undergo medical examination. Twenty-two percent of Russians try to have some rest. Every fifth do physical exercises or sports (21%).
Only 25% of Russians assess the right nutrition as one of the ways to take care of heath; 8% take dietary supplements. Fifteen percent of Russians admit that they do not take care of health at all.
Those who are most worried about health are women (90% women vs. 74% men). They avoid smoking and drinking alcohol (47%) and visit doctors if needed (44%); they also watch TV shows, read healthy lifestyle magazines (33%) and check up their health regularly (30%). Men more often do sports (27%). The older the respondents are, the rarer they do sports (49% among 18-24-year-old Russians vs. 9-10% among those aged over 45). At the same time, elderly Russians more often read special literature or watch TV shows about healthy lifestyle (19% among 18-24-year-old Russians vs. 39% among retired persons).
The most popular way to improve the looks is to rely on personal experience and advices of relatives (37%). Those who think so are basically women (45%) and young Russians under 35 (40-41%). In this case Russians rarer go to doctors 16%. The older the person is, the more popular this practice is. Fewer Russians report that they start a healthy lifestyle if they want to improve their appearance (12%); most of them are young Russians. Every tenth prefer going to beauty salon (9%), mainly female respondents (14%). Only 2% of Russians, regardless of their age or gender, turn to traditional medicine.
Remarkably, every fourth Russian report he/she does not do anything special (24%). And 15% of Russians report they do not have health problems at all.
The main source of information about how to solve health problems is doctor’s instructions (51%), followed by advices of relatives (47%). In 38% of cases Russians report that they cure themselves using personal experience. One-third of respondents say that they get information from TV shows (30%). Every fifth Russian point out the Internet (22%). Russians also mention information materials in drug stores and clinics, print media (9%, per each), and radio (3%).
The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted on December 1-2, 2012. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 138 sampling points in 46 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.
Can you say “I take care of my health”? If yes, what exactly do you do for that? | |||
Total respondents | Men | Women | |
In case I am ill I go to a doctor and follow his/her instructions | 38 | 32 | 44 |
I do not smoke and do not drink | 36 | 23 | 47 |
I watch TV programs about healthy lifestyle and read special books and magazines | 25 | 15 | 33 |
I eat right | 25 | 20 | 29 |
I check up my health regularly; I undergo health examination | 25 | 18 | 30 |
I try to have some rest | 22 | 20 | 23 |
I do physical training and sports | 21 | 27 | 17 |
I take vitamins and food supplements | 8 | 5 | 11 |
No | 15 | 23 | 9 |
Hard to tell | 1 | 2 | 1 |
What do you usually do when you are not satisfied with the way you look (skin, hair, appearance)? | |||
Total respondents | Men | Women | |
I get health advice from doctor | 16 | 13 | 18 |
I visit beauty salon | 9 | 3 | 14 |
I turn to traditional healers and therapies | 2 | 1 | 3 |
I cure myself using my experience and knowledge, as well as advices of friends and relatives | 37 | 28 | 45 |
I start living healthy lifestyle (right nutrition, sports) | 12 | 12 | 11 |
I do not have such problems | 15 | 21 | 9 |
I do nothing | 24 | 30 | 19 |
Other | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Hard to tell | 2 | 3 | 2 |
Everyone have occasional health problems. Where do you get information about how to handle these problems? (open-ended question, any number of answer, % respondents) | |
Doctor`s advice | 51 |
Advices of relatives, friends | 47 |
Personal experience, knowledge | 38 |
Television | 30 |
Internet | 22 |
Information materials in drugstores, clinic and special stores | 9 |
Print media | 9 |
Radio | 3 |
Other | 1 |
Hard to tell | 2 |
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!