demographic changes Flashcards
what is birth rate?
the number of live births per 1000 of population
what is baby bloom?
a sharp increase in births due to social factors
what is fertility rate?
how fertile the country is, worked out using total women in childbearing age and number of children they have
how have birth rate trends changed and why?
birth rates have declined due to many of the following reasons:
- changes in women’s position
- decline in infant mortality
- children are now an economic liability
- child centredness
what impact does the declining birth rates have?
- women choose to establish their career first before starting a family (delayed childbearing) or choose to have fewer kids.
- families choose to have fewer kids as they are more secure of their children’s survival.
- delayed childbearing due to fertility control.
- parents have fewer children so they tend to lavish all attention and resources on the few they have.
how have death rate trends changed and why?
death rate has declined for many of the following reasons:
- improved nutrition
- medical improvements
- public health measures e.g improved sewage disposal methods, improved housing etc.
- lifestyle changes
- increased life expectancy
what impact does the declining death rates have?
- as death rates decline, ageing population increases, which can lead to increased demand for healthcare services and support for elderly.
- changes in family structure e.g more generations living together, rise in extended families due to long life expectancy.
- social changes e.g changes in attitudes towards family size, education and healthcare.
how have immigration trends changed and why?
patterns have increased, from 1990 until WW2 the largest immigrant group was Irish for economic reasons and now very few immigrants are non-white. Reasons:
- immigration acts from 1962-1990 placed severe restrictions on non-white immigrants, but by 1980s, non-whites accounted for more than a quarter of all immigrants.
what impact has immigration trends had?
- UK population is growing.
- there are more immigrants than emigrants now.
- the average age of population has decreased.
- immigrants are more likely of working age which lowers the dependency ratio, and they tend to have more children as they are younger and overtime these children will join the labour force - again lowering dependency ratio.
how have emigration trends changed and why?
patterns have increased, since 1990 emigrants have gone to live in USA, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa etc. Reasons:
- push factors such as economic recession and unemployment at home.
- pull factors such as high wages or better opportunities abroad.
what impact has emigration trends had?
- net migration is high.
- the births of non uk mothers are higher, they account for 25% of births.
what impacts have resulted on the ageing population?
- average age of population is rising (from 34.1 in 1971 to 40.3 in 2013).
- there are fewer young people and more old people, which leads to an increased demand for healthcare and social care services.
- changes to policies/provision of housing and transport etc.
- one person pensioner households increased, mostly female.
- growth of ageism.
- marxists argue that the old are of no use to capitalism so the family have to take responsibility for care of elders as the state are unwilling to.
what impacts have resulted on the dependency ratio?
- earning and taxes of the working population must support the dependent population, children make up large part of dependent population so fall in no. of children reduces burden of dependency on working population.
- however decreases birth rates means fewer young adults and smaller working population so burden of dependency may rise again.
- the non-working elderly are part of dependent population so as no. of retired increases, dependency ratio and burden increase - ratio of people of working age is predicted to fall from 3.2 to 2.8 by 2033.
- however age that people can draw pension is rising (from 66 to 67 by 2026).
