Citation

Andreeva E, Ermakov S, Brenner H. International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development 2008; 7(1): 21-48.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008)

DOI

10.1504/IJESD.2008.017895

PMID

unavailable

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. Copyright © 2008 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

Language: en

Keywords

Economics; Stress; Suicide; Binge drinking; Russian Federation; Heavy binge drinking; Panel data analysis; Russian federation; Socioeconomic transition; Stresses; Sustainable development