Problems of the Shortage of Medical Personnel in Rural Areas
The work analyzes the current state of an important problem for Russia, namely, the lack of medical staff in the rural healthcare system. The study is based primarily on the data from the departmental statistics of the Vologda Oblast, the region where, despite certain measures taken by the authorities, negative trends still remain. These data helped in the absence of comprehensive information on the staff composition of rural health to carry out a situation analysis in the “big cities - rural areas” comparative context (rural areas are considered in a differentiated way - according to the level of urbanization). The authors also used the results of sociological surveys of Vologda Oblast residents. The paper analyzes the provision of Rus sian rural regions with medical personnel. It is shown that the shortage of doctors leads to a decrease in the quality and accessibility of health care for the rural population. Residents of the rural municipal districts of the Vologda Oblast are less likely to go to the doctor if they have health issues compared to residents of large cities. In comparison to townspeople, rural residents are less satisfied with the quality of basic medical care, and they are also less likely to note positive changes in the staffing situation in the health sector. The paper presents a critical analysis of a set of measures aimed to attract medical personnel to the village. It is concluded that the overall problem of personnel shortage, which is acute in both urban and rural areas, requires new flexible forms and solution mechanisms, as well as enhancement of the work aimed to level the disproportions between urban and rural areas in the availability of skilled medical care.