Vlajinac, Hristina D. (7006581450)Hristina D. (7006581450)VlajinacMarinković, Jelena M. (7004611210)Jelena M. (7004611210)MarinkovićKocev, Nikola I. (6602672952)Nikola I. (6602672952)KocevAdanja, Benko J. (7003966459)Benko J. (7003966459)AdanjaPekmezović, Tatjana D. (7003989932)Tatjana D. (7003989932)PekmezovićŠipetić, Sandra B. (6701802171)Sandra B. (6701802171)ŠipetićJovanović, Dejan D. J. (16236654600)Dejan D. J. (16236654600)Jovanović2025-06-122025-06-121997https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.51.2.172https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0030970661&doi=10.1136%2fjech.51.2.172&partnerID=40&md5=178efdea9d9d3dfd1ae7b21cb77cb8ffhttps://remedy.med.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/1601Study 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.