Abstract
Within the context of the national policy on the elderly, the paper presents trends in demographic ageing, health and life quality of the elderly in Russia. Social and political consequences of the XX century have resulted in significant fluctuations in the number of individual generations, forming a long-term fluctuating trend in demographic ageing in Russia. These historical disproportions have overlapped with regional variations in ageing rates due to significant inter-regional population movements, rural–urban migration, substantial gender differences in trends and scales of mortality and fertility dynamics. As a result, levels of demographic ageing in Russia vary more than three-fold, worsening in females and rural population. Ageing-related problems are aggravated by unsatisfactory health status of the elderly, manifested in high burden of chronic diseases (especially cardiovascular diseases), leading to life restrictions up to loss of the ability to self-care. High-tech cardiac surgery contributes to life prolongation and improved physical and psychological functioning. However, during rehabilitation, most patients are reluctant to change their unhealthy lifestyle associated with cardio pathology. Polymorbidity and psychoactive substance abuse (in males) are the risk factors of suicidal behaviour, while accessibility of medications, including slee** pills, firearms, etc. contributes to realization of this risk. Living conditions of the elderly and their access to quality social services are important components of wellbeing in terms of health. Despite satisfactory living conditions, the situation significantly differs by type (urban/rural) and size of the settlement. Maintaining microsocial contacts with children, family and friends is a powerful source of psychological comfort and social wellbeing.
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World Health Organization (2015).
Kusjakova (2016).
Christensen et al. (2009).
Manton et al. (2006).
Seeman et al. (2010).
Liao et al. (2001).
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Strategy for Actions in the Interest of the Older Citizens of the Russian Federation until 2025 (approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 164-r as of February 5, 2016). https://mintrud.gov.ru/docs/government/173.
Information about the national project “Demography” on the official website of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Russian Federation. https://mintrud.gov.ru/ministry/programmems/demography.
The annually updated information array of a multi-purpose territorial sample based on the information array of the 2010 All-Russa Population Census was used as the basis for the sample formation.
Death registration under the Unified medical information and analytical system of Moscow.
The Demographic Yearbook of Russia (2021).
Rybakovsky (1973).
Vorobyeva et al. (2016).
Ivanova (2022).
Ryazantsev (2020).
Starodubov et al. (2003).
Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Doctor of Economics and Ryazantsev (2019).
Starodubov and Ivanova (2012).
Karelova and Rybakovsky (2001).
Rybakovsky (2019).
WHO Regional Office for Europe (2015).
Eurostat (2016).
Vertkin et al. (2012).
Kaurov and Matyukhina (2014).
Kirshina and Gabdrafikova (2014).
Mitrofanov et al. (2013).
Proshchaev et al. (2011).
Lazebnik (2005).
WHO (2014).
WHO Regional Office for Europe (2013a).
WHO Regional Office for Europe (2013b).
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The authors would like to extend their gratitude to Timur Miryazov for designing maps for the manuscript.
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Ivanova, A., Zemlyanova, E., Sabgayda, T. et al. Demographic ageing, health status and life quality of the elderly in Russia. China popul. dev. stud. 7, 130–159 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42379-023-00133-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42379-023-00133-4