Among challenges and menaces related to losses of human potential in rural areas, it is necessary to note decreasing of population and its aging, higher percentage of migration of residents from rural areas, higher mortality of rural population than urban one, decreasing of natality in rural areas. The life expectancy of rural population is lower than of urban population. The lower indicators are noted in rural males who live no longer than 67 years. The lower rates of new-onset and general morbidity were established in rural population that is related to poor exposure of diseases, inadequate dispensarization and preventive activities in rural areas. These predicaments are conditioned by limited medical care accessibility in rural settlements and remoteness from medical organizations. The comparison of general morbidity of rural population in the Russian Federation before the COVID-19 and during the pandemic determined increasing of general morbidity in 2023 up to 3.3% for certain classes of diseases that require patient rehabilitation, increasing of dispensary work and activation of prevention activities. The challenges to health care system and losses of human potential are be taken into account under elaboration of Federal and municipal programs in rural health care programs in conditions of counteracting risks of menaces to rural population health, as well as for development and making management decisions at the Federal, regional and municipal levels.

rural health care, rural population, mortality, natality, morbidity, subject of the Russian Federation, rural population.