Russia experienced a severe health crisis in the 1990s. as reflected by a d
rop in life expectancy. It has been suggested in literature that this poor
state of health is likely to endure and will significantly retard economic
growth in the country. This paper uses evidence from other former Communist
countries and studies of income-health relationship across economies to ev
aluate these claims. It concludes that the mortality increases of 1988-94 a
nd 1999-2000 were the effects, rather than causes, of the economic recessio
n. The state of health is unlikely to put a brake on future economic growth
. (C) 2001 The Regents of the University of California. Published by Elsevi
er Science Ltd. All rights reserved.