Mortality Rates in Russian Regions in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Introduction. The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has had a strong impact on the socio-economic situation in the country, especially on demographic processes. The article analyzes the change in the mortality rates in Russian regions and assesses the influence of various factors on them during the pandemic. Materials and Methods. The paper examined data from the Federal State Statistics Service on mortality rates in Russian regions. Based on the graphs analyzed and regression equations built, the factors that determined the increase in mortality rates during the pandemic and the degree of their influence were identified. Results. Changes in the rates of morbidity and mortality in Russian regions depended on the development of the healthcare system, demographic, socio-economic, and geographical factors, as well as on the actions of regional and federal authorities. The geographical location of the regions turned out to be the determining factor. The highest mortality rates were found in the regions located in the center of the European part of Russia at the intersection of transport routes. In some months, high mortality rates were observed in the regions bordering China, Kazakhstan, and Finland. The proportion of pensioners and the degree of decline in personal income were also significant. Discussion and Conclusion. Calculations have shown that at the beginning of both waves of the pandemic, the increase in mortality rates depended on the provision of the population of the regions with doctors and hospital beds. In the spring, the restrictions imposed restrained the spread of the disease, but led to an economic recession and an increase in unemployment. In the autumn, less severe restrictions were introduced, which led to a significant increase in mortality rates and a slight decline in the economy. The research results can be used to optimize the managerial decisions in the field of medical and demographic policy.

Spread of COVID-19 in the Russian regions in 2020: factors of excess mortality

“…Another study on the structure of excess mortality in Russia in 2020 demonstrated a faster increase in mortality among urban residents compared to rural residents (Sabgaida 2021). Likewise, a study conducted by Druzhinin and Molchanova (2021) shows a significant positive relationship between increased mortality in the Russian regions in 2020 and the share of urban population.…”

“…At the same time, both theoretical models of the infection transmission (Kalinin et al 2020) and empirical studies (Goroshko and Patsala 2021;Zemtsov and Baburin 2020) prove that morbidity and, therefore, mortality among the elderly is lower compared to young people, in particular, because older people have a more responsible attitude towards their health, have fewer social contacts (do not work, do not travel daily by public transport during rush hours) and voluntarily comply with all prohibitions and restrictions, sometimes even after they are officially cancelled. The study conducted by Druzhinin and Molchanova based on the 2020 data of the Russian regions, shows that the share of pensioners turned out to be an insignificant factor in assessing increase in mortality (Druzhinin and Molchanova 2021).…”

“…A study conducted by Druzhinin and Molchanova (2021) povides estimation of the mortality growth regression in the Russian regions in 2020 wich showed insignificance of income variables. A study by Pilyasov et al (2021) assessing excess mortality in Russia, showed that per-capita income variable turned out to be insignificant either.…”

Features of the pathogenesis and course of myocardial infarction in COVID-19 patients: a descriptive review

“…По наблюдениям многих авторов, снижение числа госпитализаций и ошибки маршрутизации больных могли оказаться следствием атипичной клинической картины ИМ у больных COVID-19. Все это также оказало влияние на увеличение внегоспитальной летальности от сердечно-сосудистых причин [9][10][11].…”

Assessment Of COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Detrimental Impact On The Population Of Nuclear City: Two-Year Results

“…A number of studies since the onset of the pandemic [3][4][5][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] described the impact of the pandemic using specific mortality indicators, such as infection fatality rate (IFR) and case fatality rate (CFR). These widely used measures of infection prevalence are sensitive to certain demographic and socioeconomic conditions, which may vary from country to country.…”