Economic Factors of Mortality from Infectious Diseases in Russian Regions

Infectious disease mortality occupies a small share in the structure of mortality in developed countries. However, it is concentrated in relatively young ages, and it entails significant economic costs. From 1990 to 2018, Russian regions showed different dynamics of mortality from infectious diseases. Some regions managed to reverse the negative growth trend in mortality in the mid-2000s, but there are regions where growth in mortality continues to this day. Mortality from infectious diseases in the regions safest and least well on the indicator differs by a factor of 10. The worst dynamics are demonstrated by Volga, Urals, and Western Siberia regions as well as Altai Krai, Irkutsk Region, Primorsky Krai, and Chukotka. The purpose of this article is to study the economic factors determining mortality from infectious diseases in Russian regions. Estimating a fixed effect panel model based on data by the Federal State Statistics Service shows that regions with higher per capita cash incomes demonstrate lower mortality from infectious diseases. Alcohol consumption is a factor associated with higher mortality from infectious diseases. Mortality from infectious diseases is higher in regions with a larger population per doctor and with a lower capacity of outpatient facilities. Important information for decision-makers responsible for reforming the healthcare system in terms of reducing the number of doctors consists in the presence of high elasticity of mortality from infectious diseases to the change in the population per doctor even in the absence of epidemics. Conclusions of the study could serve as a guideline for developing parameters of state health programs.

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