Peer-reviewed article
Medical students' opinions on marriage, family and children
S.S. Shevchenko, N.K. Tikhonova ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-sonnet-5-5This survey asked 633 students at Smolensk State Medical University in Russia about their views on marriage, family and having children. It was an anonymous online questionnaire run in 2022. Most students plan to start a family between ages 25 and 34, and most view large families positively. Some preferred civil (unregistered) marriage, especially among male students. The study concerns the attitudes of young adults, not the well-being of children.
Key points
- The majority of students plan to start a family at age 25–34.
- 56.4% accept one marriage for life, and 69.3% see marriage as one of the main criteria of society's well-being.
- 63.3% prefer to start a family based on love, and 84.8% react positively to a large family.
- Among males, 85.2% preferred civil marriage and 17.3% saw no point in getting married.
- Among males, 54.9% were negative about marriage during their studies and 94.4% about having a child during their studies.
Limitations
It covers one medical university and relies on self-reported opinions from adult students, so it cannot show how children fare or how views translate into later family choices. Results may not apply to other students or to the wider Russian population.
Abstract
In modern Russia, the family is at a difficult stage of its development Family difficulties manifest themselves in the following trends: the spread of cohabitation, the prevalence of families with one child, the increase in the number of divorces, the decrease in the birth rate, and the increase in the proportion of women who give birth after the age of 25. In this regard, the problem of preparing students for family life and knowing their opinions about modern values and readiness to start a family is very relevant. Purpose: To study the opinion of medical university students about marriage, family, and children. Materials and methods: The study was conducted in 2022 using a voluntary anonymous online questionnaire through a Google form using a random sample method. The sample included 633 students of the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education "Smolensk State Medical University" of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. Sociological, analytical, and statistical methods were used. Results and discussion: The study revealed that the majority of medical students surveyed plan to start a family at the age of 25–34; 56.4 % of respondents accept the conclusion of one marriage for life; 69.3 % ‒ believe that marriage is one of the main criteria of the well-being of society; 63.3 % ‒ prefer to start a family on love; 84.8 % ‒ positively react to the large family. Among males: 17.3 % did not see the point in getting married, 85.2 % preferred civil marriage, expressed a negative attitude towards marriage (54.9 %) and the birth of a child (94.4 %) during their studies, and 19.8 % perceived unwanted pregnancy as a reason for abortion. Conclusions: In the value system of medical students, marriage and children occupy a dominant position, but there is a preference for civil marriage and a tendency towards later marriages. The adherence to family traditions and scenarios plays a significant role in shaping the students' marriage strategies. Most students approach pregnancy and childbirth planning responsibly.