Sociological Studies on the Social Infrastructure of Communities in the Sumy Region: A Geographical Perspective on Problems and Prospects for Sustainable Development in Wartime

Social infrastructure plays a key role in building sustainable and cohesive communities. A sociological survey of the local population is an effective tool for obtaining relevant information to make informed decisions on developing social infrastructure. The article aims to analyse the state of social infrastructure in Sumy region based on a sociological survey of residents and identify key problems of social infrastructure functioning and ways to solve them. The target audience was residents of Sumy region aged 18 and over. The survey is being conducted from 31 July to 31 August 2024 as part of the international research and education project ‘Territory of Innovations: Best Practices for Sustainable Development at the Local Level’ and the research project ‘Organisational and Economic Support for post-war Sustainable Development of territories based on the infrastructure and service methodology for the development of innovative communities. The survey was conducted digitally using the Google Form tool. The questionnaire covered a wide range of issues related to key aspects of social infrastructure, such as healthcare, educational services, cultural institutions, communications and household services, trade services, and tourist services. The survey involved 109 residents from 22 communities representing all administrative districts of Sumy region, although most respondents were from Sumy district and Sumy city. The results of the sociological survey indicate significant problems in the development of the social sphere in Sumy region, which the hostilities have exacerbated. 67% of respondents consider the social infrastructure in their communities to be underdeveloped. The article discusses ways to improve the social infrastructure of Sumy region, including the modernisation of educational and medical institutions, effective management of housing and communal services, development of regional programmes with a focus on the needs of rural areas, and support for cultural and tourism initiatives. Based on the survey results, a roadmap for developing social infrastructure has been developed in line with the sustainable development goals. The survey highlights the needs of the population, inequality in access to services and development priorities, taking into account the specifics of the territories. The survey results can be used to formulate effective local policies to support social cohesion and strengthen communities.