Mary Baldwin College, Staunton VA 24401
by Prof. Gordon L. Bowen, Ph.D.
This page enumerates key facts about contemporary Russia which tend to support the conclusion that Russia is in a serious public health crisis.
Life expectancy:
key problem: males: 64 years (1987), 57.6 years (1994), 58.5 years (2002). "Russia ranks 122nd in the world, at the same level as Guyana and North Korea" (Morin: B5).
females: 73 (1997)
all citizens: 64 years (1994), lower than Brazil (66) or Mexico (72)
Population decline:
death to birth ratio (1993):
-in Moscow, 2.5 to 1
-in St. Petersburg, 3 to 1
overall rate of population decline: .4 to .6% per year
births per woman (fertility rate): 1.3 (1997); US: 2.0; Britain: 1.7; Germany: 1.4
suicide rates (per 100,000): males: 66 (Germany: 23; US: 20) females: 13 (Germany: 9; US: 5)
Inadequate spending on medical care:
USA: approx. 6.6% of GNP of $7921 billion (in 1998, World Bank)
Britain: approx. 5.7% of GNP of $1263 billion (in 1998, World Bank)
Germany: approx. 8.1% of GNP of $2123 billion (in 1998, World Bank)
Russia: approx. 4.1% of GNP of $337 billion (in 1998, World Bank) ...figure had been 6% (1960).
Indicators of quality of medical care:
Maternal mortality per 100,000 live births: 53; Germany: 22; UK: 9; Japan: 18; USA: 12.
Infant mortality, 1997: Russia 17; Germany 5; Britain 6; USA 7.
Child mortality ages 1-5, 1999: Russia 25; Germany 6; Britain 7.
Return of once rare diseases: diptheria, cholera, thyphoid.
Acceleration of new epidemics: major outbreak of HIV / AIDS.
Other indicators of financial resources of average Russian:
GDP per capita: $2097 US (1987), $1993 US (1994). World rank: 102nd
GNP trend per capita: -6.6% a year; -6.9% in agriculture; -8.1% in industry
Inadequate incomes: 31% live in poverty, 11% with <$2.00 US a day (1994)
Income structure: percent of annual national income received by each fifth of the population. Poorest fifth at left, richest fifth at right.
|
bottom
20% |
next
20% |
middle
20% |
fourth
20% |
top
20% |
|
| Russia | 4.2 | 8.8 | 13.6 | 20.7 | 52.8 |
| USA | 4.8 | 10.5 | 16 | 23.5 | 45.2 |
| Britain | 7.1 | 12.8 | 17.2 | 23.1 | 39.8 |
| Germany | 9.0 | 13.5 | 17.5 | 22.9 | 37.1 |
sources:
Atlantic Council of the U.S., “Health in Russia: Humanitarian and Foreign Policy Issues,” Bulletin of the Atlantic Council 7, 10 (November 30, 1996): 4pp. Reported male life expectancy to be 57.3 years in 1994, whereas U.N. figure was slightly higher.
Central intelligence Agency, CIA Factbook of the Countries of the World 2004 (Washington: CIA, 2004).
Murray Feshbach, “Environmental and Health Crises in the Former Soviet Union,” in The Successor States to the Soviet Union ed. John W. Blaney (Washington: CQ Press, 1995): 134-142.
Bruce Pannier, “Duma Issues Appeal over AIDS,” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty NEWSLINE Vol 1, No. 162, Part I (18 November 1997).
United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Report 1997 (NY: Oxford U.P., 1997).
Richard Morin, "Case Not Closed," Washington Post (November 14, 2004): B5.
World Bank, World Development Report 1999/2000 (NY: Oxford U.P., 2000).