Mortality patterns and trends in post-communist countries compared with low mortality populations Zhanyl Mukhtarova Abstract This research primarily addresses mortality patterns and trends in the post-communist countries of Central Asia, Central Europe and the Baltic region together with low mortality populations such as those of France, Spain and the United States of America. The aim of this research is to analyze mortality patterns and trends in selected post-communist countries and contrast them with low mortality populations between the period of 1990 and 2006. In this study, the main age-specific mortality intensities and the excess male mortality among the selected countries were analyzed. Moreover, the historical overview of mortality development in the selected countries and population longevity was discussed. Concurrently, the influence of socioeconomic conditions and healthy lifestyles and their implications and impact on declining mortality rates were revealed. The research clearly identified several important issues encasing the field of mortality, notably that more work and financial support is necessary to improve the health status of countries within Central Asia.

The aim of this work is to analyze the changes in family behavior in Czech Republic especially using the framework of the second demographic transition. Attention was focused on the analysis of attitudes towards new form partnerships and childbearing and development reproductive behavior in Czech Republic. In this analysis using data of two surveys ISSP (1994, 2002, 2012) and EVS (1990, 1999, 2008). The trajectories of changes in Czech Republic were compared with trajectories of transformation in selected post-communist countries. Different trajectories of transformation have been identified for postcommunist countries. The results in many aspects suggested Czech Republic has been approaching the North-western European countries. However, important the Czech Republic seems to be much further in the process of the second demographic transition in comparison with many post- communist countries. Keywords family behavior, attitude, family, the second demographic transition, postcommunist countries