Death rate in the U.S. and Soviet Union 1970-1988, per cause of death
There were, of course, variations between the two countries in their standards of diagnosis and the classification of causes of death, with U.S. records generally thought to be more accurate, whereas the USSR's rates improved with time. The Soviet Union also did not provide separate data for deaths caused by liver disease or pneumonia/influenza, possibly due to the rise and prevalence of alcohol-related deaths during the given period, which the government wished to downplay. Preventable deaths related to alcohol and substance abuse (including tobacco) were major factors in the Soviet Union's high death rates in certain categories, such as accidental deaths, pulmonary disease, and suicides. In contrast, the U.S.' higher rate of diabetes deaths has been attribute to an increase in levels of Type 2 diabetes, which is most-commonly caused by lifestyle and dietary factors.