A general meeting of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences is now
under way in Moscow. In addition to addressing organizational issues and
electing a president and presidium, the medical academy discussed the population's
health problems. In his report, Oleg Shchepin, director of the Institute
for Scientific Research in Social Hygiene, Economics and Health Care Management,
presented shocking figures and equally shocking comments.
Since 1994, Russia's adult population has decreased by 2 million and
its child population by 6 million. In the past 10 years, the mortality
rate among the population as a whole increased by 31.8 per cent while the
rate among the working-age population increased by 38.5 per cent... The
average life expectancy is 59 years for males and 72 years for females.
Scientists consider the high mortality rate among the working-age population
the main reason for the decrease in average life expectancy. The cream
of the nation is dying not only because of cardiovascular and oncology
diseases which are the main problem throughout the world but primarily
for reasons categorized in the statistics as "accidents, poisonings, and
injuries". These have been among the leading causes of death in the past
five years.
Boris Velichkovskiy, one of Oleg Shchepin's colleagues at the medical
academy, links these indicators with the reforms and the country's sociopolitical
situation. According to his observations, the mortality rate among the
working-age population rises sharply each time there is a big cataclysm
- the fight with parliament in 1993 and the financial crisis in 1998. Studies
have shown one other factor most likely affects people's health, in addition
to stress. It is termed "impairment of the dynamic stereotype of higher
nervous activity" that ensures the body's stable existence...
Here are some other striking indicators. Since 1997, the mortality rate
among children and young women has risen sharply. Specialists link this
rise directly and indirectly with the fact that prostitution has become
the main form of income for a certain portion of this population group.
Furthermore - in the past 15 years, the number of adolescents diagnosed
with "drug addition" increased by a factor of 15, and the mortality rate
among the said group has increased by a factor of 42.
The sharp deterioration of indicators characterizing the nation's health
is not only linked directly to political and economic cataclysms but is
also connected with the state of health care, which can be assessed on
the basis of just two points from Oleg Shchepin's report. The chart "cause
of death" in official Russian medical documents often simply lists "old
age" with no mention of details. Amazingly, this "diagnosis" is even applied
to people who have died at age 55!
And here is another fact. Interestingly, levels of certain cardiovascular
diseases in Russia are lower than in Austria, for example. But the mortality
rate as a result of these diseases is significantly higher. This means
- and the official figures confirm - that in the overwhelming majority
of patients, these diseases are not recorded while the patients are alive.
As they say, "An autopsy will tell."
Many of these figures have been cited previously, even by President
Putin, who used the term "demographic hole" when commenting on them. But
this is the first time these data have been assembled together and subjected
to the necessary analysis.
No commentary is needed.
По поводу заверщающего аккорда согласиться конечно невозможно
никак. Как говаривал старина Толстой Л. Н. (граф) : романы свадьбой заканчиваются,
а самое интересное только начинается.