Results of our studies

IN BRIEF

Russians are increasingly worried about the inflation.

MOSCOW, April 14, 2014. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the information describing what problems Russians regard as the most significant for the country today.

For the tome being, inflation is the most important problem for Russians (62%). Elderly respondents are more concerned about this issue (68%) than younger persons (51%). In March respondents were more concerned about the problem of inflation (62%) than in January (53%) and much more concerned than it was a year ago (from 46% in March 2013).

Housing and utilities sector was cited by 60% of Russians; those who are most worried about this issue are respondents aged over 60 (66%), compared to 18-24-year-old Russians who pay less attention to this problem (50%). Forty-seven percent of Russians worry about corruption; they are mainly men (51%) and residents of million cities (59%), rather than women (43%) and residents of small cities (43%). The living standards are currently mentioned rarer than a year ago (42% vs 49%).

On a national scale Russians are worried about the problems of drug addiction; over the recent months the share of them has increased from 27% in January to 34% in March. They are mainly respondents aged 18-24 (41%) rather than elderly respondents (32%). As before, one-third of Russians cite concerns about pension provision (33%). Health care problems are mentioned rarer than a year ago (33% vs 40%). The problem of alcohol addiction is also cited less frequently (31% in March 2014 vs 39% in March 2013). According to one-third of Russians (27%), the top problem that modern Russia is facing today is the situation of youth.

The share of Russians who pay attention to the unemployment has substantially decreased over a year (only 26%; a year ago - 38%); they are mainly rural area residents (33%) and rarely residents of Moscow and St.Petersburg (10%). The share of those who are concerned about the interethnic relations and migration has decreased over the recent months (from 32% in January to 24% in March). Education is cited by 24% respondents.

Russians pay less attention to the influence of oligarchs on the life in the country (21%), public morality (19%), environmental issues (19%), and economic state (18%). Terrorism and crime worry them less than it was in the beginning of this year (15% in March vs 29% in January; 15% vs  23%, respectively ).

The VCIOM opinion poll was conducted on March 29-30, 2014. 1600 respondents were interviewed in 130 communities in 42 regions of Russia. Data are weighted by gender, age, education, working status and type of settlement.  The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.

Choose the problems that you consider the most important for the country in general?

(close-ended question, not more than 7 answers)

 

III.13

IV.13

V.13

VI.13

VII.13

VIII.13

IX.13

X.13

XI.13

XII.13

I.14

II.14

III.14

Inflation  

46

44

42

47

47

50

47

57

51

54

53

52

62

Housing and Utility services

62

64

59

55

52

53

58

54

52

57

56

58

60

Corruption, bureaucracy  

43

44

40

44

43

44

41

42

37

47

47

45

47

Living standards  

49

49

44

46

43

46

49

41

51

46

45

45

42

Drug addiction

35

31

33

29

33

30

33

30

25

27

27

28

34

Pension provision  

35

35

35

32

33

32

32

34

31

31

35

35

33

Health care system  

40

42

37

43

37

34

36

35

32

40

34

38

33

Alcohol addiction

39

38

39

38

35

34

37

32

34

30

29

34

31

Situation of youth

30

32

29

28

29

31

32

28

30

30

33

31

27

Unemployment  

38

34

39

36

31

28

31

28

27

27

29

33

26

Interethnic relations, migration*

-

-

-

21

26

25

27

35

24

29

32

26

24

Situation in education  

26

28

24

25

24

22

24

22

20

23

19

20

24

Influence of oligarchs on economic and political life in the country  

20

23

20

20

24

22

21

18

19

22

22

21

21

Public morality    

24

29

27

25

24

30

26

21

23

20

20

20

19

Ecology and environment  

21

21

23

22

17

15

20

14

17

16

14

14

19

Economic situation (economic crisis)  

18

19

15

16

14

12

14

12

16

17

15

17

18

Terrorism  

12

15

21

15

14

10

14

24

27

13**

29

18

15

Crime  

26

26

25

22

24

22

27

23

23

23

23

23

15

Delay in paying salaries  

11

10

13

10

12

10

11

12

16

11

10

11

14

Demographic situation  (birth rate, death rate)

14

14

15

14

15

13

15

12

14

11

17

11

12

Democracy and human rights

9

10

11

9

13

14

14

11

14

12

15

11

11

Situation in the army  

13

15

14

13

14

10

15

13

12

13

12

9

10

Don`t know

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1

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1

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1

1

1

1

1

* this answer option was not offered before  

**opinion poll was conducted before the New Year terrorist attacks in Volgograd

 

Choose the problems that you consider the most important for the country in general?

(close-ended question, not more than 7 answers)

 

Total respondents

Aged 18-24

Aged 25-34

Aged 35-44

Aged 45-59

Aged 60 and above

Inflation  

62

51

62

64

62

68

Housing and Utility services

60

50

57

62

60

66

Corruption, bureaucracy  

47

51

46

46

47

46

Living standards  

42

37

44

45

41

43

Drug addiction

34

41

30

34

35

32

Pension provision  

33

21

23

25

36

51

Health care system  

33

21

32

33

36

39

Alcohol addiction

31

33

30

28

30

34

Situation of youth

27

34

33

26

22

22

Unemployment

26

33

28

25

26

20

Situation in education

24

25

28

27

23

17

Interethnic relations, migration

24

24

25

25

23

24

Influence of oligarchs on economic and political life in the country  

21

19

18

26

23

18

Public morality

19

17

22

16

19

20

Ecology and environment  

19

21

18

19

18

20

Economic situation (economic crisis)  

18

17

18

18

21

15

Crime

15

19

12

15

16

14

Terrorism

15

18

16

16

16

9

Delay in paying salaries  

14

15

17

17

14

9

Demographic situation  (birth rate, death rate)

12

12

15

12

10

9

Democracy and human rights

11

14

12

10

10

9

Situation in the army  

10

11

7

12

9

10

Don`t know  

1

1

1

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1

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