In January 2024, the Kharkiv Institute for Social Research conducted a survey at Shyrokivska village community of the Zaporizhzhia region.
Conclusions
Residents of Shirokivska hromada encounter the field of health care quite often in their lives. Only in the last year, 60% of the residents of the community applied for medical assistance. At least once a year, the majority (59%) visit a specialist. The vast majority of community residents (92%) have signed declarations with family doctors. Residents of the community feel a general deterioration in the health of the people around them, a significant part of the survey participants states that their own health is also deteriorating.
The main problems with which people enter medical institutions are heart diseases, strokes, diabetes, and dental diseases. People either face these problems on their own experience, or notice a significant prevalence of these problems in their environment. If you have to name one of the most common health problems, it is by far heart disease.
In general, the residents of the community are rather satisfied with the quality of medical services in the community, noting that during the full-scale war, the provision of medical care remained at the pre-war level or even improved. There are enough medical personnel to provide appropriate services. Residents of the community are mostly satisfied with the work of FAPs and family doctors.
However, there are certain problems in the field of health care and the provision of medical services in the territory of the Shirokivska community. According to the respondents, inpatient and sanatorium-resort treatment, certain specialists of a narrow profile, and certain diagnostic studies are not always available to residents of different settlements of the community. The main barriers to receiving medical care are the lack of funds for medical needs and transportation costs to get to the medical facility, as well as inconvenient work schedules and problems with transportation between the community’s settlements. The least mobile citizens — the elderly, people with disabilities, and the poor — suffer the most from this.
The Shirokivska community, along with the entire country, is going through difficult times. War makes it much more difficult to provide medical care to people. There is a lack of certain specialists, equipment, medical drugs, etc. Therefore, the medical field of the Shirokivska community needs comprehensive support for the systematic improvement of public health indicators.
