Protest Activity and Social Well-Being of the Rostov Region Medical Professionals During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Abstract

Period 2019-2021 is characterized by an explosive growth in the number of labor protests in the Russian healthcare sector. Based on the materials of an empirical study, the article analyzes the social well-being of medics in the Rostov region, identifies the socio-economic and professional risks that are most disturbing to medical stuff, and also evaluates the protest activity.An empirical study included two stages. At the first stage, in October 2020 — February 2021, a series of 40 in-depth interviews was conducted with doctors and secondary medical personnel of public healthcare institutions in the Rostov region. The second stage — a mass questionnaire survey — was held in February — April 2022 using a stratified sample. In total, 402 representatives of senior medical personnel and 434 representatives of paramedical personnel of the Rostov region were interviewed.According to the results of the study, optimistic assessments of social well-being at the individual and group level are recorded: the medics of the Rostov region are satisfied with their health, living conditions, relationships with family members, and how life is in general. The financial situation of his family is assessed by medics as partially satisfactory. At the same time, a high degree of concern was revealed about the risk of increased neuropsychic stress and emotional burnout, an increase in the workload without an increase in wages, harm to health and job loss.At the same time, the medics of the Rostov region are ready to apply various strategies of adaptive behavior in the face of increasing risks and mainly demonstrate an attitude towards the peaceful resolution of problem situations in an administrative way (referring to the management of the medical institution for clarification). In case of violation of labor rights, they are ready to apply to the State Labor Inspectorate and the court, trusting trade unions and public organizations to a lesser extent. Appealing to the media in order to draw attention to the situation, participating in rallies and demonstrations, strikes — according to the results of a survey of respondents, the least popular course of action in case of violation of labor rights. Therefore, the protest potential of medics at the time of the study can be assessed as low, which characterizes, among other things, the normalization of relations in the healthcare sector in the Rostov region.