4. The Impact of Demographics on Public Health 10/9 Flashcards
Demography
The study of populations, especially with reference to size and density, fertility, mortality, growth, age, distribution, migration, vital statistics and the interaction of these with social and economic conditions.
Rural vs. Urban
Poorer health
Less access to health care
Poorer quality of health care
Higher proportion of elderly, due to industrialization and requisite migration to urban areas
Slower epidemic potential (population density), but lower rates of immunity
Higher cost of providing services; e.g., water, electricity, waste disposal
Impact of Poor Water and Sanitation
Causes 88% of diarrhea cases; 1.5 million deaths annually
High infant mortality due to dehydration resulting from diarrhea
No access to improved water – 884 million (13% of the global population)
Poverty
Globally, 1.2 billion (17.4%) of the world’s population live on <$US1 per day
Poor versus rich countries:
Deaths of children under 5 years of age: 20:1
Malnutrition: 10:1
Life expectancy: -16 years
Internal country disparities (e.g. 39.8 million Americans live below the poverty level; >20% among Hispanics and
African-Americans
Some Conclusions from Demographic Studies (1)
he majority of the world’s population lives in developing countries
Although fertility is declining, increases in population will occur primarily in developing countries in coming decades
Developed countries must cope with a shrinking productive age population and a burgeoning elderly population
The majority of the global population will live in urban areas in coming decades
Some Conclusions from Demographic Studies (2)
The world’s wealth is concentrated in a minority of countries
Poor sanitation and hunger are concentrated primarily in countries in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia
Population density (which promotes emerging diseases) is greatest in developing countries, particularly China and India
Global inequity remains a major problem
