Economic Determinants of Mortality from Cardiovascular Diseases in Russian Regions

Abstract

This article aims to investigate economic factors that determine the mortality rate from cardiovascular diseases in Russian regions. Independent variables are socio-economic factors, including the level of well-being, characteristics of the health care system in the region, level of alcohol consumption as a characteristic of the lifestyle of the population, as well as the directions of state policy for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, and alcohol and tobacco control initiatives. These factors are the focus of several social programs currently being implemented in Russia. The objective of this study is to identify the degree of sensitivity of the mortality rate from circulatory system diseases to changes in each of the factors considered. This will help to guide public policies aimed at improving population health.The empirical component of the study is based on the data from the Federal State Statistics Service of Russia (for the period from 2005 to 2019), as well as regional budgets and territorial compulsory health insurance funds. Panel data model with fixed effects was evaluated, and the elasticity of mortality from circulatory system diseases to changes in the formed set of factors. The paper shows that an increase in health care costs leads to a decrease in mortality from circulatory system diseases. With that, the sensitivity of this indicator to a one percent change in factors of well-being and lifestyle, including the volume of alcohol consumption, is higher than the sensitivity to a one percent change in health care expenditures. The article revealed the presence of a statistically significant relationship between changes in the legislation, which led to a significant increase in the availability of expensive medical care, and a decrease in mortality from circulatory system diseases. The findings are relevant for those reforming the health care system and can serve as a guideline for developing parameters of government healthcare programs.