MEDICAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC SITUATION IN PROVIDING MEDICAL CARE TO RURAL POPULATION IN THE TAMBOV REGION
The article assesses the situation of the Tambov region among the regions of the Central Federal District according to the dynamics of changes in the main indicators of the healthcare state and demographic characteristics in rural areas. Changes in the main health indicators of the Tambov region over a 17-year period in the context of the urban and rural population were revealed: the provision of beds, nursing staff, outpatient clinics and feldsher-obstetric stations per 10,000 rural population and others. The main emphasis is placed on ranking municipalities of the Tambov region according to three medical and demographic indicators: birth rate, mortality rate and natural population growth in order to identify territories that are dysfunctional in terms of providing medical care to the rural population. The analysis showed the persistence of negative trends in the birth rate decline and natural decline increase in rural areas. In 2020, there was also an increase in mortality; mortality rates were analyzed by cause. This study emphasizes the need for further research in order to identify the specific causes of continuing negative trends in medical and demographic situations to provide medical care to the rural population in each of the identified disadvantaged territories of the Tambov region.