Changes of geographical mortality differences in the three Baltic countries during the period of socio-economic transformation

Juris Krumins, University of Latvia
Domantas Jasilionis, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research
Mall Leinsalu, Stockholm University
Vlada Stankuniene, Institute for Social Research (ISR), Vilnius

Objective: This research explores changes in regional inequality of health and mortality in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania extending study to the neighboring countries Belarus, Russia and Poland. Analysis is part of collaborative research project with F.Meslé and J.Vallin (France). Data: Regional vital statistics for tabulations around the population censuses 1989 and 2000/2001. Data from health surveys are analyzed as well. Methods: IMR, age-specific mortality rates, life tables, standard mortality ratios and self assessment of health status indicators are calculated to analyze changes in geographical differences trying to find socio-economic determinants of those changes by regression analysis. Results: Geographical variation of mortality in the three Baltic countries is larger among exogenous causes of death (infectious diseases, respiratory diseases, violent deaths). Geographical variation of mortality during the analyzed period has been increased (particularly from diseases of circulatory system and slightly from neoplasms) due to growing regional socio-economic inequalities.