МЛАДЕНЧЕСКАЯ СМЕРТНОСТЬ В ГРЕЧЕСКОЙ ОБЩИНЕ ОДЕССЫ (1860–1920)
INFANT MORTALITY IN THE GREEK COMMUNITY OF ODESSA (1860–1920)

Summary/Abstract: The article examines infant mortality – the mortality of children aged from 0 to 364 days in the Greek community of Odessa during the period from 1860 to 1920. It aims at the demographic analysis of infant mortality in the Greek population of Odessa that, in general, involves the discussion of statistical figures demonstrating the development of the phenomenon in question including trends, frequency, seasonality and social structure of infant mortality. The work is based on data derived from the records of birth registers of the Greek Church of the Holy Trinity in Odessa. It addresses a number of demographic characteristics such as the seasonality of infant deaths, times of their peaks, the causes of deaths, and the social belonging of the deceased. In particular, the highest mortality rate in the 60-year period is observed during the winter and summer months. This shows the regional urban specificity, where the peaks of the deaths clearly reflect the living conditions in Odessa. The infant mortality rate in Odessa appears not very high when compared to that in other cities of Europe and Russia. This indicates a quite favorable situation in the urban environment of the time. The prevalence of mortality among boys, both in the perinatal and postnatal ages, is indicative, and the percentage of the latter age group continued to increase at the expense of boys. The high percentage of the church funeral services for the Greek children of formally foreign subjects emphasizes the complex composition of the Greek population of Odessa and, at the same time, the economic activity of the townspeople.

• Details
• Contents