Mortality and Longevity in the Central and East Europe - Changes in Years 1990-2005

Abstract

Political and socioeconomic transformation has significantly influenced demographic processes in Central and East Europe. This was mainly noticeable in behaviours and attitudes concerning forming and developing of families. With regard to the aforementioned behaviours, the populations of analysed countries have adopted to new conditions very quickly, and the demographic parameters have reached values that were almost identical as those in West Europe. The situation developed completely differently in the case of mortality and life expectancy. Differences between Central and East Europe, and West European countries, which were already visible at the beginning of 1990's, have been eliminated considerably slower. Even though, one can observe favourable transformations in life expectancy and the distribution of death causes in the Central and Eastern European countries. Those changes are especially apparent in countries which became members of the European Union in 2004.