Title: The socioeconomic aetiology of suicide mortality in Russia

Authors: Elena Andreeva, Sergey Ermakov, Harvey Brenner

Addresses: Epidemiology Unit, Berlin University of Technology, VWS 1-4, Mueller-Breslau Str. (Schleuseninsel), Berlin 10623, Germany. ' Department of Socio-Economic Analysis, Moscow Regional Obligatory Medical Insurance Foundation, Ryazanskiy pereulok 3, Moscow 107078, Russia. ' Epidemiology Unit, Berlin University of Technology, VWS 1–4, Mueller-Breslau Str. (Schleuseninsel), Berlin 10623, Germany

Abstract: Large-scale abrupt socioeconomic changes are often associated with unsustainable conditions in terms of populations| health. An epidemic increase in suicide death rates has been recorded in Russia during the turbulent period of the socioeconomic transition. The socioeconomic aetiology of suicide mortality has been analysed for a large set of Russian regions. Suicide rates were statistically accounted for by the |transition-related stressors| – hyperinflation, severe economic depression, etc. Deficiency of coping resources – lacking economic activities of the regional populations – turned out to be the strongest explanatory variable. Heavy binge drinking was a significant, but not the leading mortality predictor. The study results support the idea that sustainable socioeconomic development is crucial for the prevention of stress-related mortality.

Keywords: suicide mortality; stress; socioeconomic transition; heavy drinking; binge drinking; coping resources; sustainable development; panel data analysis; Russian Federation; sustainability; death rates; Russia; hyperinflation; economic depression.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESD.2008.017895

International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development, 2008 Vol.7 No.1, pp.21 - 48

Published online: 21 Apr 2008 *

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