# 4 42–48 View full article

УДК 314.4:616-053.3:347.4.003.1

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36887/2415-8453-2020-3-4

Zoriana MYSAK
Assistant Professor of the Department of Social Medicine, Economics and
Organization of Health Care, Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University

JEL classification: C49; D19

Abstract

Introduction. The mortality among up to one-year old babies is one of the most sensitive factors in the state of the socio-economic development. The infant mortality rate has an influence not only on social and demographic processes but also has a high economic effect, which is extremely important for the country’s economic potential.

Purpose of the article. The purpose of this paper is to make a comparative analysis of the overall trend of the infant mortality in Ukraine and Poland between 2010 and 2018 and to calculate economic losses of countries caused by the mortality among up to one-year old babies.

Results. Between 2010 and 2018, we can see absolute gradual trend to the decrease in the infant mortality rate in Ukraine and Poland; however, the infant mortality rate in Ukraine is by 1.7 to 1.9 times higher than in Poland. The infant mortality in Ukraine and Poland is mainly caused by certain states in the perinatal period as well as by congenital defects, deformities and chromosomal abnormalities. In order to calculate economic losses because of the infant mortality, we have taken a number of lost person-years of the working-age period, during which GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is produced. Economic calculations point to the fact that losses of the Polish potential GDP because of the infant mortality between 2010 and 2018 are USD 9,122,370 and are twice as high as in Ukraine (USD 4,504,230), which can be explained by the value of GDP per capita, which is by 3.4 to 5.9 times higher. In its turn, the decrease in the infant mortality rate is caused by the preservation of the country’s labor potential and thus causes the potential GDP to be preserved. Thanks to the decrease in the Polish infant mortality between 2010 and 2018 by 27.37%, the potential GDP has been preserved amounting to USD 432,360. In Ukraine where the infant mortality decreased by 47.48% between 2010 and 2018 the economic effect of such decrease is USD 282,780.

Conclusions. Economic losses caused by the infant mortality make the realization of the strategic national policy regarding the decrease in the infant mortality rate among one-year old babies useful, which will cause the future labor potential to be preserved, and facilitate the improvement of the socio-economic well-being.

Key words: infant mortality, causes of death, economic losses.

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The article was received 05.07.2020