Аннотация
Residents of rural and remote areas face serious health problems. As a rule, with increasing distance from large cities, there is an increase in mortality and morbidity. In addition, this category of population is characterized by higher rates of hospitalization and a higher prevalence of health risk factors compared to the urban population. Rural residents also experience limited access to primary health care providers and health services (partly due to a shortage of medical personnel), which, in turn, leads to lower rates of use of medical care than in urban areas, and, as a result, to a deterioration in the health status of rural residents.The purpose of the study: to conduct a comparative analysis of data between the medical and demographic indicators of the rural and urban population of the Republic of Kazakhstan for the period 2014-2023.Methods. Medical and demographic indicators of the rural population were analyzed. The main method was a retrospective epidemiological study.Results. The birth rate of the rural population in 2023 was 20.88, which is 12% higher than the urban population (18.68). Mortality is also higher among the rural population (6.66) than among the urban population (6.51). Natural growth rates and infant mortality were also higher among the rural population compared to the urban population. According to the statistical forecast, the mortality rate of the rural population will grow in the next 10 years (2024-2033).Conclusions. These issues require the healthcare system to organize deep, large-scale measures to improve the health and make optimal political and managerial decisions to ensure the availability of medical services to the rural population.Keywords: medical and demographic indicators, rural population, healthcare organization, accessibility of medical services, public health.