The response of violent mortality to economic crisis in Russia

From 1992 to 1994 life expectancy for Russian males dropped from 62.0 to 57 .6 years. Female life expectancy dropped from 73.8 years to 71.2 years. Thi s drop in life expectancy coincided in time with the introduction of painfu l economic reforms in Russia, leading to a rapid decrease in real wages and pensions, nearly complete loss of personal savings, and a tremendous incre ase in the poverty rate. This article examines the temporary changes in mor tality fur violent causes of death during the crisis period with a special emphasis on age-specific and gender-specific differences in the response to economic crisis.