Special attention is paid to prevention within the framework of the implementation of government measures on public health management. The organizational structure of health care delivery for rural population substantiates the important role of the heads of rural health posts (RHPs) in the implementation of preventive activities.

OBJECTIVE

To characterize new opportunities for improving the occupational descriptors of the heads of rural health posts in the field of preventive measures implementation among rural population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The research was based on data of a sociological survey of 89 heads of RHPs of Orenburg region on two questionnaires, namely HLS19-Q-22-RU_Russian and NVS-RUS.

RESULTS

A high level of health literacy among the heads of RHPs has been established during the study. The heads of RHPs had difficulties in finding information, assessing the advantages and disadvantages of different treatment options and implementing the recommendations of medical staff. A necessity to improve the occupational descriptors in order to increase the literacy level in the field of health promotion has been established among 36.1% of the heads of RHPs. Most heads of RHPs had no difficulties in searching, understanding, evaluating and applying knowledge in the field of prevention.

CONCLUSION

The revealed difficulties in solving professional tasks related to diseases’ treatment and health promotion indicate the need for improvement of occupational descriptors of the heads of rural health posts regarding the secondary prevention in healthy people and the tertiary prevention in persons with chronic diseases.