Births, Deaths And Populations

Question 0

Define the terms: ‘crude birth rate’, ‘general fertility rate’, and ‘total period fertility rate’ and understand how they differ. Discuss the main determinants of fertility

Answer 0

Crude birth rate (CBR) - number of live births per 1000 population
General fertility rate (GFR) - number of live births per 1000 fertile women between age 15-44
Total period fertility rate (TPFR) - average number of children born to a hypothetical woman in her lifetime
GFR is more accurate for measuring birth rate but not always possible
Determinants of fertility - fecundity (physical ability), fertility

Question 1

Describe the features and relevance of a population census

Answer 1

Census = simultaneous recording of demographic data by the government at a particular time pertaining to all persons who live in a particular territory
Useful for allocation of resources, projections of populations, trends in populations

Question 2

Describe the derivation and uses of mortality data

Answer 2

Crude death rate (CDR) - number of deaths per 1000 population
Age-specific death rate (ASDR) - number of deaths per 1000 in age group
Standardised Morbidity Ratio (SMR) - compares observed with expected if age-sex distribution were identical
Uses - classify cause of death, analyse patterns, identify health problems/inform service needs

Question 3

Describe the variables affecting population estimates and projections

Answer 3

Migration, fertility rates (difficult to predict)