As a specific subject matter, management of the system for maintaining, strengthening, and improving physical health is being actively studied both in our country [1, 2] and abroad [3−8]. A number of domestic and foreign studies investigated the features of the development of physical health from medical, psychological, and economic perspectives [9−10], as well as the relationship between physical and mental health [11−15], and some have considered physical health as a component of a healthy lifestyle [16, 17] under normal and altered conditions (in the context of digitalization) [18]. Physical development components of corporate programs designed and implemented to strengthen health of the employees are an important part of the overall related efforts [19, 20]. The significance of measures aimed at preserving physical health of the population from childhood is recognized both in the Russian Federation (RF) and abroad [21−25]. In this regard, understanding the development of physical health management system is an important task from both the national economic and social perspectives. Therefore, we conducted a special study that looked into the current organizational and methodological approaches applied at the regional level to the development of the said system, which is designed for both children and adults.

METHODS

Seeking to assess the performance of regional and municipal authorities in developing organizational, methodological, scientific and practical foundations that would underpin the system for managing the physical health of adults and children, and also aiming to learn about the experience of large companies, we sent to 89 regions of the country a 40-item questionnaire designed to collect current information. The questionnaire allowed making suggestions.

The results of this survey were processed in several stages, all revolving around the analysis and interpretation of the collected data with the aim to identify patterns, trends, and to form reasonable conclusions. Methodologically, the process included various approaches: statistical analysis to reveal mathematical patterns and correlations between indicators; cluster analysis to group respondents according to various criteria to determine common trends; factor analysis to investigate the influence of various factors on the final indicators; text analysis to process open responses.

RESULTS

The addressees in this study were representatives of local authorities; the filled questionnaires providing current information, containing answers to questions as well as suggestions from the regional executive branch officials were received from 59 subjects of the Russian Federation, which is more than two thirds (68.4%) of the total number of regions of the country. In general, this fact indicates that the heads of executive government agencies on the considered level pay significant attention to the urgent and important social, economic and medical problem of managing the physical health of adults and children.

The respondents were officials holding various positions in regional ministries (committees, departments, and complexes) responsible for managing matters related to physical culture and sports, healthcare, education, and social development. A single region could have several employees of the governing bodies participating in the study.

At the same time, representatives of organizations subordinate to regional government bodies participated in the preparation of responses to the questionnaires.

Overall, this fact indicates that the involved heads of executive government agencies intentionally focus on the the urgent and important social, economic and medical problem of managing the physical health of adults and children.

It should be noted that in the tables giving the results of the survey question by question, the total number of responses in percents may exceed 100%, since some of the questionnaire items allowed choosing several response options.

tab. 1 gives the results of the analysis of the regions' responses to the question "Which of the main directions of development of methodology and technologies for managing the physical health of adults and children in the context of developing a national (regional, municipal) system of promotion of physical culture, popularization of sports, GTO, and training of elite athletes are being implemented in your region (short-term)?"

Thus, the regions pay the most attention to the implementation of regional (municipal, corporate, territorial) programs with the aim to develop the national (regional, municipal) system of physical culture and sports popularization, the GTO movement, and training of elite athletes., then regional (municipal, industrial, territorial) projects, then methodological documents, then pilot projects, and, finally, the development and implementation of new organizational and information and communication technologies.

tab. 2 gives the regions' responses to the question "What conditions have been created in the interests of developing the national (regional, municipal) system of physical culture and sports popularization, the GTO movement, and training of elite athletes in your region?"; the responses revealed a well-developed regional infrastructure serving the development of the said system.

The analysis of the filled questionnaires also allowed identifying the main factors currently somewhat constraining the development of the physical health management system for adults and children in the regions. We compiled the "Consolidated list of factors that currently hinder the management of the physical health of adults and children in the context of development of the national (regional, municipal) system of physical culture and sports popularization, the GTO movement, and training of elite athletes in the regions of the country"; it includes the factors in the following areas: the national (regional, municipal) system of physical culture and sports popularization, the GTO movement, and training of elite athletes; regional infrastructure for physical culture and sports activities; availability of experts specializing in physical culture, health improvement, and sports for the masses; medical support; motivation of managers; motivation of the population; financial support; existing restrictions.

As for the factors that promote the development of the regional physical health management system for adults and children in the context of development of the national (regional, municipal) system of physical culture and sports popularization, the GTO movement, and training of elite athletes, they are as follows:

- issues related to boosting the motivation of citizens to engage in systematic physical culture and sports activities, and to lead a healthy lifestyle;

- development of sports infrastructure;

- organization of physical culture and sports events, including major national and international competitions with increased audience reach;

- support and development of professional clubs (hockey, football, futsal, volleyball, basketball, etc.);

- creation of infrastructure (swimming pools) in the northern regions to teach children to swim and to give the population an opportunity to practice swimming systematically, including people with disabilities;

- improvement of the situation with procurement of resources in the field of physical culture and sports;

- additional funding, etc.

The regions' responses to the question "What impact has the introduction of digitalization had on the physical health management system for adults and children in the context of development of the national (regional, municipal) system of physical culture and sports popularization, the GTO movement, and training of elite athletes in your region?" showed that for 72.9% of them, this process is a positive influence.

DISCUSSION

Having analyzed the responses received, we compiled the "Classification of examples of the best management solutions at the level of the subject of the Russian Federation related to the motivation of managers at various levels to oversee the efforts aimed at maintaining and improving physical health of adults and children in the context of development of the national (regional, municipal) system of physical culture and sports popularization, the GTO movement, and training of elite athletes in the regions"; the classification included solutions in the fields of organization; introduction of the new types of sports and events; introduction of the new types of grants, ratings, and competitions; introduction of the new ways of work; establishment of the new performance indicators; introduction of the new motivational measures and insignia; financial support; medical care; promotion and popularization of physical culture and sports.

We have also compiled the "Consolidated list of proposals aimed at improvement of the physical health management system for adults and children in the context of development of the national (regional, municipal) system of physical culture and sports popularization, the GTO movement, and training of elite athletes in the regions of the country"; this list covered the following areas: regulatory documents; organizational matters; the GTO system; sport for the masses; healthy lifestyle; corporate programs; education and training; informatization and digitalization; economic aspects; motivational aspects; propaganda.

In addition, the analysis of the filled questionnaires allowed identifying what type of assistance the regions of the country need from the federal authorities for successful development of the physical health management system for adults and children. We compiled the "Collection of assistance requests from the regions to the federal authorities related to the successful management of the physical health of adults and children in the context of development of the national (regional, municipal) system of physical culture and sports popularization, the GTO movement, and training of elite athletes"; the requests pertain to the following areas: legislative support; administrative support at the federal level; improvement of infrastructure; education and training; methodological support; medical support; motivation of managers and the population; financial support; propaganda and mass media.

The results of the analysis of the responses from the representatives of the regions revealed the following: 76.3% of the regions believe that use of adults and children's physical health management technologies in the context of development of the national (regional, municipal) system of promotion of physical culture, popularization of sports, GTO, and training of elite athletes in their regions contributes to the "preservation of healthy labor resources," and 49.1% of the regions believe that it contributes to "labor productivity growth." According to 47.5% of regions, such technologies help to "improve the image," while 42.4% of the regions claim they "reduce the volume of sick leaves," 20.3% of the regions — "reduce staff turnover", and 18.7% of the regions believe the technologies "reduce the number of accidents." A different answer was received from 5.1% of the regions.

As for the corporate entities, their efforts in the field of managing the physical health of adults and children yielded the following achievements: organized and conducted sports days and competitions both within one company and for several companies; support to sports and the corporate sports movement; a number of enterprises organize various corporate sports and recreation and mass sports events for their employees and their family members. Local authorities assist in organization of such events. Companies also develop and implement specialized corporate health promotion programs, including corporate programs for the development of physical culture and sports; promote and encourage the GTO system among their employees; conduct corporate games, departmental competitions (cross-country tracking, cross-country skiing, etc.), contests to establish the best corporate programs designed to involve employees in sports and a healthy lifestyle.

The proposals of the representatives of the regions related to the development of corporate programs include the following:

- development and implementation of mandatory corporate programs for the development of physical culture and sports;

- development of corporate sports through mass-oriented sports popularization efforts in companies of all patterns of ownership;

- extension of the Healthy Municipality program, implementation of corporate employee health promotion programs at all companies;

- development of corporate sports, etc.

CONCLUSIONS

The analysis of the responses received from 59 regions of the country revealed the main factors currently somewhat constraining the development of the adults and children's physical health management system in the regions; a number of factors contributing to the development of the said system; the types of assistance the regions need from the federal authorities for successful development of the national (regional, municipal) system of physical culture and sports popularization, the GTO movement, and training of elite athletes.

Based on the data obtained, we have also compiled the the "Classification of examples of the best management solutions at the level of the subject of the Russian Federation related to the motivation of managers at various levels to oversee the efforts aimed at maintaining and improving physical health of adults and children in the region," the "Consolidated list of proposals to improve the regional physical health management system for adults and children," and the "Collection of assistance requests from the regions to the federal authorities related to the successful management of the physical health of adults and children."

Another subject investigated in this study was the experience of large companies in the country's regions in what concerns management of the physical health of adults and children.

The analysis of the results of the survey clearly demonstrates the urgent need to intensify the work of the executive authorities at the level of the subjects of the Russian Federation that addresses organizational and socio-economic problems of further development of the system of physical culture and sports popularization, the GTO movement, and training of elite athletes in the regions of the country.