Modernization of Federal and Regional Policies to Promote Employment and Accumulation of Health Capital
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17059/ekon.reg.2026-1-6Keywords:
health capital, employment, bidirectional relationship, employment policy, workplace health, policy integrationAbstract
Contemporary empirical studies document statistically significant bilateral relationships between population health and labour market participation. Health and employment are dynamically interrelated: health promotion measures enhance productivity and economic participation, while adverse employment conditions and job loss negatively affect health, increasing social vulnerability and limiting employment stability. Understanding how these relationships are reflected in employment promotion and health protection policies in Russia is increasingly important. This study aims to clarify the ways in which employment influences health and, in turn, how health affects employment, and to assess the extent to which these relationships are incorporated into federal and regional policies. The methodological framework combines a systematic analysis of regulatory documents and government programs with a comparative review of international practices in the EU, the UK, and Finland. Empirical evidence is drawn from the authors’ previously published quasi-experimental analysis using data from the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey for 2015–2022, which demonstrated a statistically significant positive effect of employment on self-rated health and a negative effect of health on the likelihood of employment. The analysis identifies two pathways of interaction between the labour market and health: the direct effect of employment on health and the inverse effect of health on labour market outcomes. Within the direct effect, four key channels are highlighted: employment availability and support, consequences of job loss, informal and underemployment, and working conditions. Current policies in Russia address these mechanisms only partially and lack systematic coordination with the healthcare system. The findings underscore the need for stronger intersectoral collaboration in developing and implementing measures to promote employment and protect health, as well as practical recommendations for their integration.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Канева Мария Александровна , Зафаржонова Мохидилхон Равшанжон кизи , Карунина Анастасия Михайловна
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