Social pathologies in childhood and adolescence (case study of suicidal behavior research)

Social pathologies in childhood and adolescence, and especially suicides, have a negative impact on formation of labor and human potential. Preventing socio-economic and demographic losses caused by them assumes special significance.Russian Federation is one of those countries, having the excessive level of extending social pathologies, especially among men of working age. At present our country stands first in Europe according to the number of suicides among children and adolescents and heads the list of European countries with the maximum mortality rate from violent causes among young people aged from 10 to 29 years. Victimization level among underage people declines with lesser pace than among adult population. Number of Russian children and adolescents registered with severe mental diseases is steadily growing. Contribution of homicides and suicides to the common structure of population’s mortality is quite considerable (one quarter of all deaths from external causes). The article presents the results of assessing the socio-economic damage due to mortality rate from several social pathologies in 2013 in the Vologda Oblast. Losses from mortality due to suicides comprised around 2 billion roubles in money terms, or 0.6% of gross regional product (GRP), owing to homicides, they equaled 1.25 billion roubles, or 0.4% of GRP, caused by alcohol - 3 billion roubles, or 0.9% of GRP. The overwhelming share of losses was accounted for men. Maximum number of lost years of productive life in case of suicides fell within the young age (three quarters of all losses from suicides). Assessment of demographic damage showed that losses of expected lifespan due to the mortality rate from suicides, homicides and causes connected with alcohol consumption, comprised 1.3 years. However, the peak of demographic damage was accounted for the age group under 19 years old. The range and previously mentioned indicators of extending social pathologies, first of all, suicides, allow to raise a question of threat to oncoming generation of the RF and the necessity of taking steps to prevent this phenomenon.