Inequality in access to medical services directly affects the health of the population and is one of the most significant social problems. The sources of its formation are not only a significant gap in the amount of monetary incomes of the population, but also significant territorial inequalities in the provision of the population of cities and rural settlements with medical organizations and their services. Paid medicine remains virtually inaccessible to low-income groups of the population, which further exacerbates inequality in access to medical services, especially in rural areas. This work is aimed at identifying the features of the socio-demographic portrait of users of paid medical services and their behavioral strategies regarding their health. On the example of the Vologda region, based on the data of a representative regional sociological survey, it is shown that the main proportion among users of private clinic services are urban residents aged 30—60 years with an average income level and only 8% are residents of rural settlements. At the same time, the behavior regarding their health among respondents using paid and free medical services has a number of features. This suggests that the behavior of the selected groups of respondents, along with socio-economic factors, contribute to the formation of inequality in their health.

population health, inequality in access to health services, behavioral strategies in relation to health.