Causes related to a change in self-preservation behaviour of the Moscow and the Moscow region population during the COVID-19 epidemic

The challenges of self-preservation behavior among the Russian population hinder improvements in life expectancy. The quality of life, alongside financial stability, serves as a determinant of self-preserving behavior; hence, it is plausible that, in regions with similar socio-economic conditions, the impact of factors associated with self-preserving behavior is likely to be comparable. Objective. To assess the relative contributions of factors associated with indifferent and negative self-preserving behaviors to mortality rates in Moscow and the Moscow Region. Materials and methods. Utilizing mortality data from Rosstat for the period of 2011 to 2022, this analysis focuses on causes attributed to indifferent behaviors (including murders, injuries with undetermined intentions, traffic accidents, AIDS-related deaths, and deaths from unknown causes) and negative behaviors (encompassing fatalities due to alcohol and drugs, suicides and self-harm, as well as malignant neoplasms of the respiratory system). Results. During the COVID-19 pandemic, mortality attributed to negative self-preserving behaviors increased among residents of Moscow, while mortality due to indifferent self-preservation behaviors increased among the inhabitants of the Moscow Region. In contrast, the pre-epidemic period showed an inverse relationship in the rates of change in mortality. The data reveal that Moscow has a higher prevalence of deaths associated with indifferent self-preserving behaviors in comparison to the region, while exhibiting fewer deaths due to negative self-preserving behaviors. Trends in mortality indicate improvements in living conditions and enhanced safety in both areas; however, lifestyle changes, which require a significantly longer timeframe for change, do not reflect this progress. Conclusion. In regions with similar socio-economic environments, the overall contribution of factors linked to self-preservation is comparable. Nevertheless, these contributions diverge when categorized into indifferent and negative self-preserving behaviors. Within the male demographic, the influence of negative self-preserving behavioral factors exceeds that of indifferent behaviors, while in the female demographic, the contributions of both categories are roughly equivalent.