As a rule, the state of health and the potential of public health is assessed based on the use of biomedical criteria. Today, these assessments need to be supplemented by social criteria, among which one of the most important is the criterion of the active attitude of individuals and communities to their health. The article presents the potential of health as a specific social phenomenon. From our point of view, the potential of health as a social property of individuals and communities has three sources and three components: the needs, abilities and willingness of individuals and communities for years with practical actions to maintain good health (physical and mental) and performance. The formation of developed systems of needs, abilities and willingness of individuals and communities to learn and use health practices is a real way to reduce social inequalities in health. Movement in this direction can lead to a significant increase in the number of Russian citizens who are able to independently solve probl