The Adaptation Issues of Special Settlers from the North Caucasus in Kazakhstan: Medical Care and Education

Abstract

This article examines the challenges of adaptation faced by special settlers from the peoples of the North Caucasus deported to Kazakhstan in the 1940s, with a particular focus on issues of medical care and educational integration. Based on the analysis of archival documents, statistical data, and scholarly literature, the main difficulties encountered by the deported populations are identified: high morbidity and mortality rates, a shortage of medical personnel, limited access to healthcare, as well as linguistic and everyday barriers to obtaining education. Special attention is paid to both objective and subjective factors that complicated the adaptation process, including the consequences of war, harsh climatic conditions, lack of housing and food, as well as social insecurity and discrimination. Despite these harsh conditions, the majority of special settlers demonstrated high labor activity, mastered new professions, and made a significant contribution to Kazakhstan’s economy while preserving their cultural identity. The article analyzes the role of the local population in the integration process, as well as the impact of state policy on the quality of medical and educational services. The analysis carried out allows for a deeper understanding of the specifics and duration of the adaptation process of the deported peoples of the North Caucasus in Kazakhstan, and also identifies key directions for further research in this area.