Sex differences in life expectancy at birth in two Caucasus countries and impact of the alcohol-related mortality

Géraldine Duthé, Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED)
Irina Badurashvili, Georgian Centre of Population Research
Karine Kuyumjyan, National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia
France Meslé, Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED)
Jacques Vallin, Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED)

In the framework of the unfavourable mortality trends observed in the former Soviet republics, Caucasian countries experience specific evolution. In this region, civil registration of vital events remains not complete. We re-estimated mortality levels and trends in Armenia and Georgia since the early 1980s, confirming specific mortality patterns, but similar in both countries. However, gender differences are greater in Georgia than in Armenia. The aim of this paper is to explore the reasons for these differences: looking at all ages, but more specifically at adult mortality for which data are more reliable and where we suspect a major role of alcohol-related mortality that is higher in Georgia than in Armenia.