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Poverty, Inequality and Subjective Quality of Life in Rural Russia during the Transition to a Market Economy: 1991‐2006
Author(s) -
O'Brien David John,
Wegren Stephen K.,
Patsiorkvosky Valery V.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
poverty and public policy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.206
H-Index - 4
ISSN - 1944-2858
DOI - 10.2202/1944-2858.1089
Subject(s) - poverty , mental health , inequality , life satisfaction , quality of life (healthcare) , depression (economics) , demographic economics , economics , population , socioeconomics , economic inequality , rural area , development economics , psychology , demography , economic growth , sociology , political science , social psychology , psychiatry , mathematical analysis , mathematics , law , psychotherapist , macroeconomics
Abstract Survey data is used to examine the relationship between changes in indicators of poverty and inequality in Russia and the subjective quality of life and mental health of rural residents in that country from 1991 to 2006. The effect of changes in incidences of poverty and inequality on the overall mental health of the rural population is straightforward, with a substantial lowering of symptoms of depression following the economic stabilization of Russia after 2000. The relationship between changing material conditions and average subjective assessments of quality of life during this same time period is more complex, with gains in material quality of life associated with gains in some life domains, not much change in others and in a loss in satisfaction with village life. Within the sample of households in the 2006 survey, incremental gains in income are associated with substantial gains in mental health outcomes. The effect of gains of income on subjective quality of life indicators also is positive but not as strong as in the case of mental health.