Mortality and risk factors for non-communicable diseases in Russia: Specific features, trends, and prognosis

In the Russian Federation, the increase in all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality began in the 1960s and lasted almost continuously until 2003. In our country, the characteristics of mortality are its substantially higher rates among men and a large regional variability, which is associated with economic, climatic, and geographic factors. Urbanization coupled with dietary changes and the higher prevalence of hypertension is the most likely initial impetus to the rise in mortality rates. The subsequent increase in mortality can be explained by the higher prevalence of behavioral and biological risk factors, alcoholism, and, since the 1990s, by heavy and protracted socioeconomic upheavals and lifestyle changes. The mortality decline since 2006 has been linked to the strengthening of the health system and to the reduction in the prevalence of smoking among men and hypertension in women. The slowing down of the pace of mortality decline may be due to the increase in the prevalence of hypertension and obesity among men. The modelling data show that by 2025, reductions in smoking prevalence rates by 23% among men and by 12% among women and increases in the efficiency of hypertension treatment by 17.2% in men and by 11.2% in women will reduce cardiovascular mortality rates by 15%.