Growth Factors of Life Expectancy in Modern Russia

Abstract

The article presents some results of the author’s research to assess the impact of several socio-economic factors on life expectancy. As determinants were considered socio-economic factors, namely welfare level, housing provision and nutrition structure, characteristics of the healthcare system, lifestyle indicators, as well as factors that affect comfort and safety of living. These factors are within the scope of several social programs currently being implemented in Russia. The study is based on 2005-2016 data of the Federal State Statistics Service, as well as on information and statistical materials related to the budgets of the regions and territorial compulsory health insurance funds. Additionally, for the analysis, the author used a fixed effects panel model separately for men and women. The article presents estimates of the elasticity of life expectancy to the change of the set of factors. The article shows, in particular, to what extent an increase in healthcare expenditures leads to an increase in life expectancy. Differences in the degree of influence on the life expectancy of an increase in total expenditures on health care and positive changes in the welfare and lifestyle of the country’s population are empirically determined. At the same time, the elasticity coefficients for all the considered factors turned out to be higher in absolute value in the model for men than in the model for women. The author states that in both models the greatest dependence relationship is observed between the life expectancy dynamics and the intensity of the change in well-being characteristics, namely the value of per capita income and the total area of living quarters per inhabitant. Hence, it is concluded that identifying the degree of sensitivity of life expectancy to changes in each of the factors considered can be a useful tool in developing state policy, taking into account regional characteristics, aimed at improving the health of the population.