Mikhail Aleksandrovich Semenov,
Candidate of Historical Sciences, Institute of History of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Impact of the Incidence of Infectious Diseases on the Mortality of the USSR Population during the Great Patriotic War
DOI: 10.31518/2618-9100-2025-2-4
The study of demographic processes during the war period is of great importance. To a large extent, we are only at the beginning of the study of civilian mortality. One of the key problems of historical demography studying the war period is to clarify the role of various factors in changing the mortality rate of the population. Based on published and unpublished materials, this article analyzes the impact of the dynamics of the incidence of a number of infectious diseases on the mortality of the civilian population of the USSR during the Great Patriotic War. The article provides summary data on the incidence of a number of infectious diseases in the USSR and the RSFSR. The factors influencing the change in morbidity are indicated. First of all, it is worth noting the activities of the healthcare system. It can be divided into several areas. Firstly, the impact of sanitary and educational work. Secondly, the sanitary activities of doctors played a huge role. Thirdly, the implementation of preventive vaccinations and phage of the population played an important role. Fourth, comprehensive work to eliminate epidemic outbreaks: disinfection of premises, phage of contact persons, hospitalization of patients and the implementation of quarantine measures. Significant progress has been made in this area. In addition to health care activities, other factors influenced the dynamics of morbidity. For example, changes in contact activity, the level of the body’s defenses, etc. A significant influence on the dynamics of morbidity was exerted by natural cycles of infection self-regulation. In order to determine the contribution of changes in morbidity to the mortality of the population, based on the data on morbidity and mortality, the number of deaths from a number of infectious diseases is calculated. It has been established that reducing mortality from infectious diseases is one of the most important components of reducing mortality in the USSR in 1940−1945. Based on the results obtained, we can draw a preliminary conclusion about the decisive contribution of Soviet healthcare to reducing mortality during the war years.
Publishing: 28/04/2025
The article has been received by the editor on 28/01/2025
How to cite: Semenov M.A. The Impact of the Incidence of Infectious Diseases on the Mortality of the USSR Population during the Great Patriotic War // Historical Courier, 2025, No. 2 (40), pp. 54–67. [Available online: http://istkurier.ru/data/2025/ISTKURIER-2025-2-04.pdf]
The article is on the topic of the state assignment “Socio-Economic Potential of the Eastern Regions of Russia in the 20th and Early 21st Centuries: Management Strategies and Practices, Dynamics, Geopolitical Context” (FWZM‑2024-0005).
Links: Issue 2 2025
Keywords: mortality; morbidity; epidemics; healthcare; medicine; demography; the Great Patriotic War