Formal and informal payments in health care facilities in two Russian cities, Tyumen and Lipetsk.

Informal payments for health care services are common in many transition countries, including Russia. While the Russian government proclaims its policy goal of improving access to and quality of free-of-charge health services, it has approved regulations that give local authorities the right to provide services against payment. This paper reports the results of a population-based survey (n = 2001) examining the prevalence of the use of medical services for which people pay formally or informally in two regional capitals of different economic status.

Smoking and related factors of the social environment among adolescents in the Republic of Karelia, Russia in 1995 and 2004.

Background: To investigate changes in smoking prevalence associated with social factors and existing health policies among adolescents in Russia from 1995 to 2004.

Methods: In 1995 and 2004 a confidential questionnaire was distributed to every 9th grade student of all 10 comprehensive schools of the Pitkäranta in Republic of Karelia, Russia. In 1995, 385 children participated in the survey (response rate 95%) and 395 children (response rate 85%) in 2004.

Ten year trends in chronic disease risk factors in the Republic of Karelia, Russia.

Background: In Russia, non-communicable diseases are leading cause of death. The aim of this article is to describe changes in chronic disease risk factors (RFs) in Pitkäranta district in Russia during ten year period of time from 1992 to 2002.

Methods: Study areas were Pitkäranta and Aunus districts in the Republic of Karelia, North-West Russia.

Changes in cardiovascular risk factors among adolescents from 1995 to 2004 in the Republic of Karelia, Russia.

Background: In Russia, cardiovascular mortality is among the highest in the world. Behaviours related to the development of cardiovascular disease are usually adopted in childhood and adolescence. Very little information exists on prevalence and trends of risk factors among Russian youth.