Mortality in Russia: Microanalysis

The paper studies determinants of Russian adult mortality controlling for individual and household heterogeneity. We utilize twelve rounds of the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey spanning the period of 14 years to study determinants of adult mortality. Survival analysis is the main methodology employed. The results are original in several respects. We find empirical support to the importance of relative status measured in non-income terms in shaping mortality hazards while income-measured relative position is confirmed to be statistically insignificant. We find evidence on the influence of labor market behavior, and sectoral and occupational mobility in particular, on longevity. The health detrimental role of smoking is found to be comparable to the role of excess alcohol consumption which is novel in the Russian context where the influence of smoking is downplayed in comparison to the alcoholism. Finally, we find no micro evidence in support to the regional data result underlying Treisman (2008) political economy story.