Individual responsobility for health: patterns of behavior

Abstract

The article discusses the ambiguity of the phenomenon of “responsibility for health” and its relevance in modern life as an important potential for improving the health of the population. Its significance is due to the approved “Strategy for the formation of a healthy lifestyle of the population, prevention and control of non-infectious diseases for the period until 2025.” The structure of the multicomponent phenomenon of “responsibility for health” is being considered based on the materials of the study “Care for health” by Public Opinion Fund (2019) using the locus of control as a psychological tool that made it possible to detect fundamental differences between the positions of individuals who maintain a responsible attitude to health and those who have the opposite point of view. Behavioural practices related to health care, types of motivation, basic environmental and informational factors are considered. It is concluded that a person’s life position in relation to health correlates not only with self-assessment of health, life satisfaction, but also with the level of education, financial and official position, and even place of residence. This psychological orientation affects not only health, but all aspects of human life. Taking into account the important role of the individual in the formation of his attitude to health, it is necessary to create conditions for the implementation of patterns of behaviour of a positive orientation on the basis of the required motivation. A number of social measures are proposed for the active inclusion of the individual in the process of strengthening, maintaining health and taking responsibility for it.

Keywords

• responsibility for health
• behavioural practices
• motivation
• patterns of behaviour
• healthy lifestyle