What can we learn from indirect estimations on mortality in Mongolia, 1969-1989?

Thomas Spoorenberg

doi:10.4054/DemRes.2008.18.10

Volume 18 - Article 10 | Pages 285–310

What can we learn from indirect estimations on mortality in Mongolia, 1969-1989?

By Thomas Spoorenberg

Date received:

5 Jun 2007

Date published:

18 Apr 2008

Word count:

6311

Keywords:

census data, intercensal estimates, Mongolia, mortality measurement, mortality trends, socialist period

DOI:

10.4054/DemRes.2008.18.10

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Abstract

The closure of Mongolia to international community during the 20th century resulted in a dearth of available data and analytic demographic studies. In the absence of mortality analysis during the socialist period, this paper proposes the use of indirect census-based techniques to estimate mortality levels and trends of the last two socialist decades (1969-89). Due to census data quality and choice of model life table, results are not homogeneous. The respective effects of these two components are discussed in order to understand the results. However, despite these shortcomings, it is shown that during the last socialist decades in Mongolia, the health conditions of the population deteriorated. The Mongolian pattern is relatively similar to the situation documented for the ex-socialist republics. Causes to this similarity are discussed.