Sanitary and education work among the female population in 1920s (based on materials of Eastern Transbaikalia)

The article is devoted to the history of the formation and development of sanitary and educational work among the population of a large region of our country – Eastern Transbaikalia in the early 1920s. The main attention is paid to the problems of health education among the local female population. Published and unpublished sources from the collections of the State archive and the Scientific library of the Museum of healthcare history of the Trans-Baikal region as well as newspaper publications during the studied period were taken while the preparation of the article. It helped to reveal history of creation of regional soviet healthcare system including its main managing body – Trans-Baikal Provincial Healthcare Department and institutions with a female staff, such as Mother and Baby Home and Women’s Consultation in Chita. The article examines the main areas of their activities as well as activities of Soviet and party bodies, public health and education institutions to attract Trans-Baikal women to sanitary and educational work, to disseminate new knowledge, medical and everyday practices among them. There was made a conclusion that the beginning of sanitary and educational work among the women of Eastern Transbaikalia dates to the period of final establishment of the Soviet administration in the region (1923). The main methods of work were lectures, reports, and agitation campaigns. The local periodical press was also involved in sanitary and educational work. This work was of great importance for the Soviet government’s policy to resolve the “women’s question” – the struggle for the equal status of women in all spheres of public life, as well as to strengthen the public health of women and children in Eastern Transbaikalia.

Contribution:
Moroz A.I. – the concept and design of the study, collection and processing of material, writing text, editing.
The author is responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Funding. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: August 4, 2025 / Accepted: October 15, 2025 / Published: April 17, 2026

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