Infant Mortality in the Soviet Union: Regional Differences and Measurement Issues

Abstract

Changes and differences in definitions reporting procedures and completeness of count can make comparisons over time or between countries hazardous. This article illustrates the general problem by examining Soviet definitions of infant mortality and the procedures by which Soviet statistics on infant mortality are collected. The rates of infant mortality reported in Soviet official statistics substantially understate the true rates. This analysis suggests that the Soviet definition makes the reported infant mortality rates low relative to what they would be if calculated according to the definition of infant mortality by the WHO. This analysis also has implications for the analysis of Soviet mortality rates in general as well as for comparison of Soviet rates to those in other countries. Removal of a large portion of the deaths of extremely-high-risk newborns from reported infant mortality statistics affects both the level and shape of reported mortality curves. After adjusting the reported infant mortality rates for the Soviet Union and for regional subpopulations published Soviet life tables were used to assess the consistency between infant mortality rates and mortality at older ages. It was shown that the relation between the reported infant mortality rates and mortality at older ages differs greatly between regions of the Soviet Union.