Russian health care
Life expectancy
70.3 years (2011)
• male64.3 years
• female76.1 years
Fertility rate1.7 children born/woman (2012)
The constitution of the Russian Federation provides all citizens right to free healthcare under Mandatory Medical Insurance in 1996. However, since the collapsed of the soviet union , the health of the Russian population has declined considerably as a result of social, economic , and lifestyle changes.
Common causes of death In 2008, 1,185,993, or 57% of all deaths in Russia were caused by cardiovascular disease. The second leading cause of death was cancer which claimed 289,257 lives (14%). External causes of death such as suicide (1.8%), road accidents (1.7%), murders (1.1%), accidental alcohol poisoning (1.1%), and accidental drowning (0.5%), claimed 244,463 lives in total (11%). Other major causes of death were diseases of the digestive system (4.3%), respiratory disease (3.8%), infectious and parasitic diseases (1.6%), and tuberculosis (1.2%).
Russia smoke the most. 43.9 million adults in Russia are smokers. Among Russians aged 19 to 44 years, 7 in 10 men smoke and 4 in 10 women smoke. It is estimated that 330,000-400,000 people die in Russia each year due to smoking-related diseases.
Abortion was illegal in the Russian Empire, stipulating five years imprisonment for abortion doctors and four years for women who performed self-abortions, but the laws were rarely enforced. In tsarist times, a class of underground abortion doctors known as babki emerged, itinerant women who performed this service. Not merely abortionists, babki also served as nurses and midwives in especially rural areas where proper medical service was unavailable.
HIV/AIDS, virtually non-existent in the Soviet era, rapidly spread following the collapse, mainly through the explosive growth of intravenous drug use. According to a 2008 report by UNAIDS, the HIV epidemic in Russia continues to grow, but at a slower pace than in the late 1990s. The actual number of people living with HIV in Russia is estimated to be about 940,000. In 2007, 83% of HIV infections in Russia were registered among injecting drug users, 6% among sex workers, and 5% among prisoners.
Foreign nationals visiting Russia or staying temporarily in the country may only have access to public healthcare if there is a reciprocal agreement between the country of origin and Russia. This is mainly only the case for UK citizens, who are entitled to free, limited medical treatment in state hospitals as part of a reciprocal agreement between the two countries. In other cases, private travel insurance needs to be arranged before travelling.
Expats living in Russia with a residency permit are eligible for the same public healthcare as a Russian citizen. However, it is a legal requirement of residency in the country for foreign nationals to have a health insurance policy, and it is advisable to take out a comprehensive policy with a reputable company. It is common practice for expats to visit private clinics and hospitals for check-ups, routine healthcare and dental care, and only use public services in case of an emergency.
The quality of public healthcare is lower than in most advanced countries and English-speaking doctors are not often available, but in the largest cities such as Moscow and St Petersburg, there are plenty of private options.
70.3 years (2011)
• male64.3 years
• female76.1 years
Fertility rate1.7 children born/woman (2012)
The constitution of the Russian Federation provides all citizens right to free healthcare under Mandatory Medical Insurance in 1996. However, since the collapsed of the soviet union , the health of the Russian population has declined considerably as a result of social, economic , and lifestyle changes.
Common causes of death In 2008, 1,185,993, or 57% of all deaths in Russia were caused by cardiovascular disease. The second leading cause of death was cancer which claimed 289,257 lives (14%). External causes of death such as suicide (1.8%), road accidents (1.7%), murders (1.1%), accidental alcohol poisoning (1.1%), and accidental drowning (0.5%), claimed 244,463 lives in total (11%). Other major causes of death were diseases of the digestive system (4.3%), respiratory disease (3.8%), infectious and parasitic diseases (1.6%), and tuberculosis (1.2%).
Russia smoke the most. 43.9 million adults in Russia are smokers. Among Russians aged 19 to 44 years, 7 in 10 men smoke and 4 in 10 women smoke. It is estimated that 330,000-400,000 people die in Russia each year due to smoking-related diseases.
Abortion was illegal in the Russian Empire, stipulating five years imprisonment for abortion doctors and four years for women who performed self-abortions, but the laws were rarely enforced. In tsarist times, a class of underground abortion doctors known as babki emerged, itinerant women who performed this service. Not merely abortionists, babki also served as nurses and midwives in especially rural areas where proper medical service was unavailable.
HIV/AIDS, virtually non-existent in the Soviet era, rapidly spread following the collapse, mainly through the explosive growth of intravenous drug use. According to a 2008 report by UNAIDS, the HIV epidemic in Russia continues to grow, but at a slower pace than in the late 1990s. The actual number of people living with HIV in Russia is estimated to be about 940,000. In 2007, 83% of HIV infections in Russia were registered among injecting drug users, 6% among sex workers, and 5% among prisoners.
Foreign nationals visiting Russia or staying temporarily in the country may only have access to public healthcare if there is a reciprocal agreement between the country of origin and Russia. This is mainly only the case for UK citizens, who are entitled to free, limited medical treatment in state hospitals as part of a reciprocal agreement between the two countries. In other cases, private travel insurance needs to be arranged before travelling.
Expats living in Russia with a residency permit are eligible for the same public healthcare as a Russian citizen. However, it is a legal requirement of residency in the country for foreign nationals to have a health insurance policy, and it is advisable to take out a comprehensive policy with a reputable company. It is common practice for expats to visit private clinics and hospitals for check-ups, routine healthcare and dental care, and only use public services in case of an emergency.
The quality of public healthcare is lower than in most advanced countries and English-speaking doctors are not often available, but in the largest cities such as Moscow and St Petersburg, there are plenty of private options.
This is a video on health care in Russia