Mental health and urbanization: a Russian perspective.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Despite being a pressing problem, the influence of urbanization on mental health is still underestimated in Russia. Although few studies on the topic in recent years were available, viewpoints of the expert community in Russia will be presented. Intensive urbanization impacts on the living conditions of the majority of the country's population being associated with mass migration of the population, a change in the structure of employment, the restructuring of family relations, and the need to adapt to unaccustomed living conditions.

RECENT FINDING: Modern urbanization can adversely affect mental health due to stressful factors related to overpopulation, environmental contamination, poverty, violence, and lack of social support.

SUMMARY: The main factors that directly affect mental health in Russia are consequences of urbanization such as:The society and the Government are taking a number of measures to prevent the consequences of urbanization (restrictions in the consumption of alcohol and tobacco, mass green plantations, a ban on noise in the evening, closure of landfills, etc.).