EXTERNAL CAUSES OF DEATH IN ESTONIA 1970-2002 : a special reference to suicide, traffic accidents and alcohol poisoning

Abstract: The study aims to describe the external causes of death (ECD) mortality, specifically suicide and traffic death in Estonia 1970-2002 in relation to the political and economic development with a special focus on the unemployment and alcohol use impact. This analyse bases on the Statistical Office of Estonia and other governmental institutions published information. The highest mortality rates occurred for traffic accidents 1990-91 and for suicides 1994-95. Middle-age man excess ECD mortalityoccurred in early 1990s with the greatest politico-economic changes accompanied by high psychosocial stress before the population could acquire appropriate coping strategies. Impact of the first main reforms on the population health has been ascertained. Price liberalisation was followed by immense inflation and real wage fall in early 1990s. Privatisation and monetary reform influenced on the basic living security of the population. People faced unexpected living difficulties as work and dwelling insecurity, decreased real income, insufficiency to meetessential expenditures, declined living standard, social status loss, population stratification and inadequate social protection. Unemployment was just introduced and did not play a significant role for the high mortality. Traffic accidents’ fatal consequences decreased with growing GDP as cars and roads became safer however accidents’ number did not decrease. Western cars appearance euphoria could influence more than alcohol consumption. It could plausibly increase accidents but the reason and role of alcohol consumption in the intentional actions needs more information. Suicide could have been influenced mainly by social and traffic accidents mortality mainly by environmental factors. Earlier findings about the unemployment and alcohol consumption impact on the transition’s high injurymortality have not been confirmed by the current study. Current paper provides framework within population worsening health factors during politico-economic changes could be better understood. The strongest impact on Estonia’s population health could come from transition’s political and economic reforms influencing dwelling and incomesecurity. Low salary and low purchasing power could hurt a human dignity even more than possible unemployment