Finding the priority directions of demographic policy with the help of statistical methods

The current demographical trends in Russia and its regions have a crisis character and are caused by low fertility, high mortality, serious problems in the state of individual and public health. The purpose the study was to identify priority directions in the demographic policy on the basis of statistical methods (the case of Republic of Karelia). To examine the interconnection between demographic indicators and socio-economic and environmental conditions, there was used a pragmatic approach based on the system of econometric algorithms (technique of constructing rating estimates and multifactor regression analysis). The estimations made it possible to set up the priority directions of regional policy for improvement of the medico-demographic situation in Republic of Karelia, to substantiate the efficiency of using benchmarking system with the account of the experience of the neighbouring Finland.