Migration, Infectious Diseases and Drug Addiction in Russia

Abstract

AbstractThe aim of the paper is to analyze the possible impact of various aspects of internal and external migration in Russia’s regions on the prevalence of the following social dangerous diseases: HIV, active tuberculosis, syphilis, drug addiction, acute and chronic viral hepatitis B and C. We analyzed the papers that concern the impact of migration on the health of the host territory population. The main research methods are econometric and correlation analysis. We constructed panel models for each disease. The models tested various socioeconomic indicators (including education level, cash income, housing improvements and the incidence of alcoholism), as well as climatic, geographical and demographic indicators. Influence of disease incidence in the neighbouring regions is also considered. Five various indicators of migration were tested. They characterize labour immigration, internal and external migration inflows to the regions and share of people born outside the region. We tried to track changes of factors that influence spread of diseases over time. It allowed us to correct the conclusions drawn earlier. In the course of the research, positive significant statistical correlation of the following indicators of migration and disease incidence was established:foreign citizens employment and incidence of syphilis in 2005;share of internal migrants and incidence of drug addiction in 2005;foreign citizens employment and incidence of drug addiction in 2006-2016;foreign citizens inflow and detection of chronic viral hepatitis in 2010;foreign citizens inflow and detection of acute hepatitis C in 2011-2016.JEL F22; I1; R23