The article deals with the problem of high mortality of able-bodied population as a major cause of depopulation and the structural transformation of the population in Russia and Belarus. The authors consider the tendencies and characteristics of the demographic development of the Union State in comparison with the EU countries. The main reasons for the able-bodied population super-mortality have been revealed, and the time intervals, which are necessary to achieve the European average mortality level under the rates of its decline, have been predicted. There is a review of public policy in this area
Keywords
health protection, public policy, able-bodied population, depopulation, mortality, life span