MOSCOW, June 10, 2009. Russian Public Opinion research Center presents the data describing how much Russians are worried about the current crisis; how they assess their state of health; and whether the economic situation in the country influences their plans for summer vacations.

Work, crisis, stress...

Concerns of Russian about crisis are declining. Compared to February, this share has decreased: from 87% to 84% (44% have biggest concerns, 40% are less concerned). 16% are indifferent: 11% are not worried about the crisis issues, 5% are not worried at all.

The relative majority of respondents (60%) are difficult to focus on their work due to economic changes (31% - sometimes, 20% - often, 9% - constantly - less than half of Russians reported so in February (48%).  Every third Russian (33%) say that crisis do not influence their work (they were 41% in February).

As before, the share of those who experience hardships which still can be tolerated are the biggest (68%). Those who report about it are mainly Russians aged above 45 (71-73%) and respondents with average and lower financial self-esteem (70-71%). The share of those who do not feel strong financial difficulties (19%) is more than the share of those who have serious financial difficulties (11%, in April- 14%).  The former are mostly respondents aged 18-24and those with high level of income (33% and 60% respectively), the latter are respondents aged above 60 (16%) and those with low level of income (24%).

Poor health...

The economic crisis has not changed Russians` health self-assessment. The share of Russian assessing their health as being "good" or "very good" has slightly changed: it has been fluctuating within 27%-31% from  2006 till now; in April this year 24% evaluate their health as "good", 3% - very good. Forty-nine percents report they are satisfied with the state of the health, 23% of Russians complain about their weak health (19% - weak, 4% - very weak). The share of such respondents has also slightly changed. Most of the elderly persons (58%) complain about their poor state of health.

More than third part of respondents (38%) is not satisfied with the state of health of their relatives (30% - rather dissatisfied, 8% - dissatisfied at all). However, compared to 2006, the share of such respondents has decreased from 46%. The older the respondents are, the more often they complain about their relatives` state of health (19% among 18-24-year-old against 64% of the elder people). Fifty-eight percents of respondents are satisfied with their relatives` state of health (47% - likely satisfied, 11% - satisfied in general).

Traditions and customs

Spending vacations at home is among Russian traditions. In 2008, the majority of Russians spent their vacation at home (56%) - the share of such respondents has prevailed over the recent years and is fluctuating from 56% to 61%. Most of such respondents are elderly persons (71%) and Russians with low level of income (67%). The second popular way to spend summer vacation is at dacha and garden plot (22%). Twelve percents of Russians spent time in other cities, villages of Russia; 10% went to the Black Sea coast (Russia). Less popular answers were travelling to foreign countries (4%), travelling to the countries of the former USSR (3%), and to Crimea (2%).

Russians prefer relaxing on the beach, first of all, - 38% (in 2008 the share of such respondents was lower - 31%). Most of the respondents who gave such answers are 18-24-year-old respondents (64%) and those with high level of income (53%). The second place is held by sightseeing vacations (26%), followed by sanatorium vacation (22%), hiking, fishing, hunting (22%), home vacation (21%), dacha and garden plot (19%), vacation in resorts and residential zones (15%). The last answer is popular among respondents aged above 44 (16-19%).

Russians would spend holidays abroad (29%) or at the Black Sea Coast (28%), if they could afford it. Respondents aged 18-24 (51%) and those with high level of income (45%) are attracted by foreign countries. Crimea holidays are less popular than relaxing at home (11% against 17%). There also were such replies as vacation in Russia (8%), at dacha (7%), any location within the territory of the former USSR (5%), and Baltic States (3%).

Plans for 2009

The majority of Russians has not changed their vacation plans because of the crisis (65%). Most of them are respondents with high level of income (78%).  The third part of respondents (30%) has slightly changed their plans. The share of such respondents among those with low level of income is twice higher than among those with high level of income (36% against 18%).

Vacation changes are expressed in refusing from travelling in favor of home relaxing (46%). More rarer Russians reduce travelling expenditures and choose cheaper options (14%), or try to economize during the whole vacation (11%). Five percents of respondents refused to have vacation and decided to spend summer at work, 4% preferred to spend summer vacation in Russia, the same part (4%) delayed their vacation, and 3% reduced the duration.

The majority of Russians think that they will have neither better nor worse vacation as in the previous year (51%). However, compared to 2008, the share of those who expect worse holidays has almost doubled (from 8% to 15%). On the contrary, rarer our fellow citizens expect better holidays than in the previous year (13% against 18% in 2008).

This year Russians is going to spend at home (53%). Every fifth (20%) plans to go to dacha, 10% - на to the Black Sea, 9% - to other city. Only 3% are going abroad, other 3% to the former USSR countries, and only 1% - to Crimea.

In 38% of cases Russians leave their minor children at home. 16% report that their children will spend summer at dacha; those who say they are going to another location in Russia or to children's camp are 10% for each. Seven percents of respondents are going to take their children to the Black Sea of the Caucasus, and 6% are planning to leave them with relatives. The less popular replies were children's hiking (3%), taking them to any location of the former USSR (2%) or abroad (1%).

39% of Russians did not allocate any sum of money from the family budget for the summer vacation. Thirteen percents of respondents are going to spend less than five thousand rubles per family member. Twelve percents are ready to spend from 5 to 10 thousand rubles; almost the same share (11%) is ready to spend not more than 25 thousand rubles for summer vacation. Only 4% of Russians are spending from 25 to 50 thousand rubles, and 1% - more than 50 thousand.  Almost quarter of Russians (39%) are not going to spend any money at all for their vacation. On the whole, the approach of Russians towards financial issues of their summer plans has not considerably changed over a year.   The share of those who did not plan any spending for recreation has slightly increased (from 37 to 39%), as well as those who planed to spend not more than five thousand rubles (from 10 to 13%). The share of Russians spending more than 50 thousand for their vacation has come to the previous level (1%, they were 3% in 2008).

Relaxing at dacha

The lack of money is the basic reason why Russians refuse from travelling in favor of home recreation (52%, 60% last year). This is followed by 9% of those who prefer staying at work; 7% are not going to anywhere due to their/their relatives` disease; 6% are staying at home, the same share of Russians cannot leave their garden/farming. Other reasons were old age or little children (4% for each).

Every second Russian has got countryside real estate (51%): 7% have countryside house (11% in 2005), 27% have dacha, 17% have land (the share of such respondents has increased by 4% from 2005). However, 48% report they have neither of the above-mentioned. Most of those who have dacha are metropolitan and big cities residents (33%), as well as those with high level of income (34%); those who have plots of land are respondents residing in small cities (31%) and those with low level of income (21%). As a rule, residents of middle-sized cities do not have countryside real estate (56%).

Dacha is first of all a source of agricultural products.  Russians use dacha to provide themselves with food; the share of such respondents has increased from 72% to 81%, compared to 2005. Only 2% plant crops for sell; 24% are fond of landscape design (plant flowers, flowerbeds and so on). For every fifth (21%) dacha is, first of all, the place for recreation and entertainment (21%). However, 9% do nothing special with their dachas.

The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted in May, 2009. 

1600 respondents were interviewed at 140 sampling points in 42 regions of Russia.

The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.

Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or www.wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM,

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