Infectious diseases mortality in central Serbia

Abstract

Study objective - To determine the influence and the effect of the war in the former Yugoslavia and of the United Nations economic sanctions on mortality from infectious diseases. Design - This was a descriptive study analysing mortality data time series. Setting - Central Serbia, Yugoslavia. Participants - The population of central Serbia was the subject of the study (about six million inhabitants). Measurements - Mortality rates were standardised directly, using the 'European population') as the standard. Regression analysis and analysis of covariance were undertaken. Main results - During the period 1973-93, mortality from infectious diseases showed a decreasing trend. From 1987-90, and in both men and women, mortality from infectious diseases was significantly higher than expected on the basis of the trend for the preceding period (p = 0.020 and p = 0.000). In addition, there was a statistically significant departure from the preceding trend (p = 0.036) in men between 1991 and 1993 (the period of the war and UN sanctions) - the main effect being in younger age groups. Conclusion - The economic crisis in the former Yugoslavia during the 1980s followed by the outbreak of the war and the damaging effects of UN economic sanctions had a distinctly adverse effect on mortality from infectious diseases.