Health-saving behavior and quality of life of military pensioners of working age in the process of their re-socialization after discharge from military service: qualitative and quantitative study

BACKGROUND: The problem of resocialization of military pensioners of working age in the civilian community is currently one of the urgent problems of both the state and society. Being a potential labor resource, this social group faces the need for a radical restructuring of its lifestyle and trajectories of labor activity (employment), the need for professional retraining.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose to study the features of the resocialization of military pensioners of working age in the main areas of its course, as well as to identify the main problems of the process of their resocialization.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The article presents studies implemented using the methods of focus group discussions (two focus groups — n=9, n=5), a questionnaire using a standard questionnaire for determining the quality of life SF-36 (n=413) and an author’s questionnaire (n=413).

RESULTS: The health-saving behavior of military pensioners is contradictory: on the one hand, they strive to preserve the useful health-saving habits acquired in the army (sleep and nutrition, commitment to sports) and at the same time note a two-fold decrease in physical activity; they understand the value of health, putting it in first or second place in the system of value orientations, and at the same time demonstrate a decreased the level of their own health-saving behavior, not paying enough attention to prevention and timely access to medical care. One of the most important motives for the re-socialization of modern military pensioners is the desire to maintain a high level and quality of their lives, as well as the lives of their families, which is significantly reduced due to their retirement.

CONCLUSION: Socially useful qualities and skills acquired by respondents during military service should be used as much as possible in the process of their re-socialization into civil society. It will not only help military pensioners adapt, but will also contribute to solving a number of personnel and demographic problems at the level of public administration, as well as strengthening the practices of social solidarity in modern Russian society.