on Infant Mortality in Southern Russian Regions

The article examines some indicators of the population’s availability of health resources and their impact on infant mortality rates in the Republic of Kalmykia and its neighboring regions. Materials and methods. The information base of the study was made up of general infant mortality rates in Russia and in the federal districts, in the Republic of Kalmykia and in the group of analyzed regions — in the Astrakhan, Volgograd, Rostov regions, the Republic of Dagestan and the Stavropol Territory. The following statistical indicators were also analyzed: the total number of doctors in organizations providing medical services, the number of obstetricians and gynecologists, internists, pediatricians, neonatologists, and in general doctors serving the children’s population. Conclusions. The availability of beds of different profiles and the availability of specialized medical personnel differ significantly by federal districts and regions of the country. In this regard, structural changes should be carried out taking into account the need to reduce the infant mortality rate in the regions. The implementation of healthcare projects has shown that the necessary provision of the material resources and personnel to the industry as a whole has been accompanied by lower recorded rates of infant and early neonatal mortality in the regions. Infant mortality rates in the regions are also influenced by the nature of settlement: the territorial accessibility of maternity services in rural areas is lower, and infant mortality rates are higher.