The Director of the Institute of Demography and Social Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Academician of the NAS of Ukraine Ella Libanova commented on the information from the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) regarding the mortality rate in Ukraine, which was recently disseminated by several media outlets.
In particular, it was noted that currently the mortality rate in Ukraine is the highest in the world, at 18.6 per 1000 people. At the same time, the birth rate is the lowest — 6 children per 1000 people. Do these figures and statements correspond to reality?
"The calculations took the overall mortality rate, — the scientist asserts. — No specialist uses this rate because it heavily depends on the age structure of the population. Why is it lowest in Qatar? Because the population there is young, and mortality is relatively low, not like in Africa. In Africa, the population is younger, but mortality is higher, so the overall rate comes out lower. The best mortality indicator is the average life expectancy. This is what specialists use", – emphasizes Ella Libanova.
According to her, the situation with this indicator in our country is not the best.
"Unfortunately, I cannot name it exactly right now because, as you understand, statistics during the war leave much to be desired. But I definitely know that it is not the lowest in the world. In Africa, this rate is significantly lower, and in a considerable number of Asian countries — as well. Among European countries, Ukraine indeed has the lowest rate. But to say that it is the lowest in the world is not true. <…> We never use such a rate. This rate is used, for example, to look at the pace of depopulation — whether the population is shrinking or growing. In English, it is even called "rough" — rough. And in our translation — "overall rate". Either birth rate or mortality rate", – the scientist points out.
More details – in the publication on the website of the online publication “Dzerkalo Tyzhnia”