Problems of Social Hygiene,
Public Health and History of Medicine

The article considers results of the study evaluating historical and epidemiological events that preceded and accompanied adjustment of the pandemic description on the WHO website in 2009 and 2011.
The analysis covered publications related to epidemics and pandemics issues, the WHO documents, the WHO website.
The descriptions of pandemic mostly focused on “enormous numbers of cases and deaths”. Since May 2009, new description of pandemic was published, focusing on disease prevalence. In 2011 it reverted to initial one with no comments. From perspective of the WHO document of 2009, declaration of swine flu pandemic in June 2009 seemed justified. However, considering previous pandemic history, common sense and consequences of declaring pandemic of disease with low both number of cases and mortality, it was premature move.
Since primary factor hindering development of pandemic is effectiveness of infectious disease treatment, to minimize likelihood of new pandemic it is necessary to improve special medical education quality and to study and to adapt to modern conditions all effective medications and methods used in the past.

The article considers issues of how population behavior impacts realization of state anti-epidemic measures and efforts to control pandemic. Materials and Methods. The methodology of the study is based on such methods as text analysis, elastic network and construction of regression equations. The analysis of indicators characterizing state policy measures controlling pandemic was applied according to data from The Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker portal. The behavioral reactions of population were assessed by text analysis of messages in Twitter and VKontakte social networks using the Rulexicon, tonalities dictionary of Russian language. The analysis of mobility was implemented on basis of data from Google Community Mobility Reports (GCMR). The study base includes data of March 12, 2020 — August 1, 2021.
It is established that in controlling pandemic the most effective is to apply combination of measures implemented at state level of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation that permits to compensate negative effect of quarantine regimen. In the Russian Federation,effect of self-isolation measures, organization of remote work of employees of enterprises, closure of schools, wearing masks is controversial and their incorrect application can contribute to virus propagation. The vaccination measures are also effective in reducing morbidity of disease, but they are characterized by lagging effect. The approval and acceptance by population anti-epidemic measures significantly impact efficiency of pandemic control.
The study results can be applied in practice of implementation of anti-epidemic measures as a tool preventing excessive risks of population morbidity and mortality.

The article analyzes age dynamics of initial causes of death according to records in medical death certificates of population of older age groups. Materials and methods. The records of causes of death of 34.914 persons aged 60 years and older were used as primary source of information. The initial cause of death was determined according to the ICD-10 rules. The rate of registration by reason of death was calculated as intensive value per 100 deaths in concrete age and sex group. Each cause was coded according to the ICD-10 rules (revision 2014–2016). The belonging to group was determined by first character (letter) in four-digit code that corresponded to the Class.
On the basis of analysis of structure of causes of death, the group A of causes that included five Classes of ICD-10, determined 81.4% of all deaths in population aged 60 years and older. Two Classes: “Diseases of the circulatory system” (Class IX) and “Neoplasms” (Class II) determine in all studied age groups more than a half of all deaths (from 55% to 71% of males and from 59% to 67% in females) and namely they determine mortality rate in older age groups. There are no gender differences in age characteristics of registration rate in these groups (p > 0.05), however age dynamics differ. In case of diseases of circulatory system initial cause of death is increase rate of registration at increasing of age. In case of neoplasms at increasing of age decrease of registration rate as initial cause of death is established. At that, rate of decline is higher than rate of increase that determines certain decrease of structural significance of combined contribution of these two groups of causes at increasing of age. The Group B of causes, including three Classes of ICD-10 “Respiratory diseases” (Class X), “Diseases of the digestive system” (Class XI) and “Diseases of the nervous system” (Class VI), determined in overall 11.9% of all deaths in population aged 60 years and older.
The age dynamics of causes of death of population of older age groups exists for certain groups of causes and it should be considered in organizing medical care of population of older age groups.