Methodology for Assessment of Public Health at the Municipalities Level (A Case Study of Arkhangelsk Oblast)

Abstract

We suggest the technique for assessing public health using the authors’ assessment algorithm of classification at the level of municipalities of the Russian Federation. As the model region, we used Arkhangelsk oblast as one of the most promising regions for economic development not only within the Russian Arctic and also of the entire country. Arkhangelsk oblast is the largest region of the European North of the Russian Federation in terms of the territorial population size. Moreover, a large number of sources of negative antrhopogenic impact on the environment are concentrated on ist territory, and their correlations with the increased morbidity rates in the oblast’s population were revealed. We determined additional negative factors affecting public health in the last decade: migration outflow, a decline in the share of the working-age population, consequences of climate change, etc. The index takes into account experience of related assessment techniques and seeks to minimize the indicators used in order to focus on the most important of them and ease interpretation of results for decision-makers. The index was developed by using only official statistical data in order to avoid distortions caused by subjective estimations. A calculation of the index is based on the selected quantitative indicators which are simple but most fully reflect the key parameters determining public health. Arkhangelsk oblast has been used as an example to demonstrate the way in which this technique can be used for the purpose of improving the quality of public health monitoring at the municipal level.