Mortality

Mortality is an important demographic indicator which can be used to evaluate health status, standard of living and general well-being of certain population. Mortality statistics are usually quite reliable and are often available from a relatively long period of time.

Overall mortality is considerably higher in the Republic of Karelia compared to the one in Finland. In both areas, mortality rate is higher in men compared to women. In Finland the mortality of both men and women has been diminishing steadily, whereas, in the Republic of Karelia mortality rates show a marked increase in both genders from the beginning of 1990s.

Figure 1.Total mortality in Finland, 1969–2006. According to Statistics Finland.

Figure 2. Total mortality in the Republic of Karelia, 1986–2008. According to Kareliastat.

Cause-specific mortality

Non-communicable diseases are the main causes of death all over Europe. Cardio-vascular diseases, cancers and alcohol related causes of death form the main components of mortality in most of the countries.

In the Republic of Karelia, the death rates from cardio-vascular diseases and from alcohol related deaths have shown a notable increase in both genders since the beginning of 1990s. The increase coincides with an immense change in the society. Especially, the alcohol related mortality has been suggested to be an important explanatory factor to the marked increase in mortality.

In Finland the level of cardio-vascular mortality is lower than the one in the Republic of Karelia and this death rate has been decreasing in both genders for several decades. The cardio-vascular mortality has, however, remained higher in men compared to women. Opposite to the favourable changes in cardio-vascular mortality, the alcohol related mortality has been increasing in Finland.

Life-expectancy at birth

Life-expectancy at birth is a compact indicator of mortality. However, it does not show whether the changes in mortality have occurred similarly in every age group.

In Finland there has been a steady increase in the life-expectancy of both men and women for the last decades.  In the Republic of Karelia the life-expectancy has shown a decrease in the end of 1990s but an opposite trend is found from the 2003 onwards. In both countries, women are more long-lived than men, which is a global phenomenon.

More information about mortality in Finland and in the Republic of Karelia can be found in a series of pictures (mortality.pdf).