Presenting the findings of a major research project funded by the EU (INTAS), this key volume investigates the regional, ethnic and socio-cultural aspects of poverty and social exclusion in Russia in recent years. In-depth household interviews and survey data allowed teams from the UK, Denmark and Russia to compare different societies and communities in Russia across several different themes: the definition of poverty in different regional, ethnic and socio-cultural settings; the reproduction and formation of poverty subcultures in different societies and communities; the ethnic/national and political values of poor people; the readiness of poor people for social protest; and a comparison of Russia with other EU countries. Offering a wealth of original data collected following a period of rapid impoverishment of the Russian population, the study considers the challenge this presents to Western European models of poverty and social exclusion.

This volume explores the nature of health and health-care experiences in Russia by comparing societies and communities with different socio-cultural conditions. The unique use of longitudinal data collected over ten years, allows the authors to address key questions on Russians individual experiences of health care and their understanding of its influencing factors. They explore the methods of self treatment and illness prevention in combination with the effects poverty and treatment availability can have on the standards of living for the people surveyed. This pertinent issue follows a time of rapidly worsening health status amongst the Russian population and a grave decline in male life expectancy. The findings are set within the context of experience from Finland and the UK, allowing the authors to explore the challenge of the Russian health-care crisis to Western European models of health status and health care.

This volume explores the nature of health and health-care experiences in Russia by comparing societies and communities with different socio-cultural conditions. The unique use of longitudinal data collected over ten years, allows the authors to address key questions on Russians individual experiences of health care and their understanding of its influencing factors. They explore the methods of self treatment and illness prevention in combination with the effects poverty and treatment availability can have on the standards of living for the people surveyed. This pertinent issue follows a time of rapidly worsening health status amongst the Russian population and a grave decline in male life expectancy. The findings are set within the context of experience from Finland and the UK, allowing the authors to explore the challenge of the Russian health-care crisis to Western European models of health status and health care.