Mortality in Kyrgyzstan since 1958: Real Patterns and Data Artifacts

There is much uncertainty about levels, trends and differentials in mortality in former Soviet Central Asia. This article uses unpublished raw mortality data for Kyrgyzstan since 1958, to address apparent inconsistencies in national-level reported data and bring new evidence regarding actual mortality patterns in the region. On the basis of internal comparisons by residence and ethnicity, this article shows that national-level increases in infant mortality recorded during the 1958-75 period are spurious, and raises doubts about recorded decreases in infant mortality since 1991. However, the data provides support for the existence of a real mortality disadvantage among adult Russian males living in Kyrgyzstan, compared to their Kyrgyz counterparts. This disadvantage occurs in spite of higher socio-economic status among ethnic Russians, which suggests the presence of a mortality “paradox”. Also, it is shown that ethnic Russians, both males and females, have experienced greater increases in adult mortality than ethnic Kyrgyz since 1991. Possible explanations for these patterns are discussed