Russia

Vroublevsky, Andrei and Harwin, Judith (2013) Russia. In: Alcohol And Emerging Markets. Taylor and Francis Group, pp. 203-222. ISBN 9781138005181

Abstract

In its Constitution, the World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." This aspiration could not be further removed from the situation in Russia today. The nation's health is in a critical state. Most dramatic and disturbing of all are the recent data on mortality and life expectancy. In 1994, the average length of life in Russia was 57.6 years for men and 71.2 years for women (Sovershenno Secretno, 1995); only seven years earlier the figures were '64.9 and 74.6 years, respectively. Taking a longer view, the picture 30 years ago was quite different. In the mid 1960s, Russia's mortality rates were broadly similar to those of Japan and the u.s. (Chen, Wittgenstein, & McKeon, 1996). Today life expectancy has plummeted to levels found in developing countries such as India and Bangladesh, although the latest figures suggest a slight leveling off for men (MONEE Project Database, 1995, 1996). The significant decrease in male life expectancy is closely connected with the rise in mortality rates from cardiovascular diseases and accidents. Here the increasing stress associated with economic and political instability, and the attendant increase in alcohol abuse, playa very important role (Leon et aI., 1997).