The article investigates issues related to public health and its potential in the context of modern challenges. Understanding health potential as a complex concept is based on the interrelation of various aspects of health (physical, emotional, moral, social) and well-being of an individual in various spheres of life. The aim of the work is to analyze public health potential in various regions of the Russian Federation based on individuals’ self-reported health data and the current socio-economic situation in the region. The study is based on the Selective Observation of the State of Public Health Survey conducted by Rosstat in 2019–2022, covering more than 100 thousand people. Additionally, statistical data on the socio-economic situation in the regions were taken into consideration. The analysis methods include hierarchical cluster analysis to classify regions according to the level of self-rated health using Ward’s method to determine the proximity of clusters. The study revealed two main types of health potential preservation in Russian regions. The first type is associated with a good environmental situation in the regions alongside a wide spread of rural areas and the maintenance of a tradition of health care, the second type is due to the high level of socio-economic development in the region, an effective health care system and a high level of citizens’ education. The age structure of the population turns out to be an important factor influencing self-reported health. The analysis of demographic indicators reveals that regions with high health potential have younger population. The metropolitan regions are distinguished by a high level of socio-economic development and education, which is reflected in the highest indicators of public health. The comparison of more attractive groups of regions in terms of health potential with regions characterized by low health potential shows that low living standards, poverty and high mortality of the working-age population have a negative impact on self-reported health and overall health potential. Health potential is an important indicator of the quality of life; and attention to the factors influencing its formation will allow identifying resources to improve public health and prevent negative trends in the socio-economic and demographic development of the region
Keywords
health, self-reported health, human potential, health potential, regional statistics, sampling observation, public health