Perception of Social Determinants of Health in the Megapolis: Muscovites vs “New Citizens”
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14515/monitoring.2025.5.3020Keywords:
healthy city, public health, social determinants of health, healthy urban planning, neural network technologiesAbstract
In the context of urbanization and growing urban populations, creating a comfortable and healthy urban environment has become a priority for government and administrative bodies. Modern approaches to urban planning require considering the connections between urban infrastructure, the healthcare system, and the principles of public health and preventive medicine. The aim of this study is to analyze the perceptions of health determinants in the megacity among native Muscovites and "new citizens", i.e. people who have recently moved to the capital. The study bases on the data coming from both quantitative (population survey) and qualitative (focus group) empirical stages. The authors pay particular attention to the analysis of focus group interviews, transcribed and processed using neural network-based linguistic analysis technology, which helped to identify semantic emphases, thematic structures, and hidden associative connections in the respondents' answers.
The study reveals significant differences in the perceptions of the urban environment between the two groups. Native Muscovites emphasize accessibility, comfort, preservation of architectural heritage, and developed infrastructure, while "new citizens" focus on environmental issues, transportation, air quality, and conditions for a healthy lifestyle.
Thie article demonstrates a methodologically innovative approach to studying social perceptions of urban health, combining neural network-based text analysis and focus group interviewing.
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