Demographic Trends Flashcards
What is meant by demography?
The study of population
Includes looking t changes to: birth/ death rates, life expectancy etc.
Define birth rate
The number of live births per 1,000 of the population per year
Define total fertility rate
The average number of children 1 woman will have between the ages of 15-44
What is the average total fertility rate?
1.9
Define death rate
The number of deaths per 1,000 of the population per year
Define infant mortality rate (IMR)
The number f children dying before their 1st birthday per 1,000 live births per year
What is the dependency ratio?
The proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population
Define life expectancy
The average number of years that a person can be expected to live
Define migration
Moving to another country for a period of at least a year
Define immigration
Entering another country for a period of at least a year, so that it becomes your usual place of residence
Define emigration
Leaving your usual country of residence for at least a year, to live in another country
Define net migration
The difference between the no. of immigrants coming into a country + the no. of emigrants leaving a country in a year
Natural change
Changes in the size of the population due to changes in the no. of births + deaths, including migration
Define globalisation
The way in which the world is becoming increasingly interconnected, causing time and space to seem compressed
What is an ageing population?
When people are living longer so the average age of the population is increasing
What is happening to the BR in the UK?
What was it in 1901 compared to 2012?
BR = decreasing
29 vs 12.2
What is happening to the TFR in the UK?
What was it in 1901 compared to 2012?
TFR = decreasing
3.5 vs 1.9
What is happening to the DR in the UK?
What was it in 1901 compared to 2012?
DR = decreasing
18.4 vs 9.3
What is happening to the IMR in the UK?
What was it in 1901 compared to 2012?
IMR = decreasing
142 vs 4
What is happening to the life expectancy in the UK?
What was it in 1901 compared to 2012?
Life expectancy = increasing
45 vs 80
What is happening to the dependency ratio in the UK?
What was it in 1901 compared to 2012?
Dependency ratio = increasing
34 vs 53
Give 4 causes of decreasing BR + fertility rates since 1900
- Changes in gender roles (W delay, contraception, abortion, EPA 1970, education)
- Falling IMR (higher living standards, health care etc)
- Increased cost of child-rearing (school = extended, more child-centred - have less to give them the best)
- Changing attitudes (other family types more accepted, Beck + Gernsheim: individualisation)
Describes Beck + Gernscheim’s process of individualisation
People have become more concerned with their own needs
No longer have to follow traditional norms but can make their on decisions e.g about marriage + having children
How could you explain the slight increase in BR recently?
2
- Migration patterns (people moving into UK)
Migrants tend to be young adults (child-bearing age) + average migrant families = bigger than non-migrants - Older W having children through reproductive technology e.g. IVF
Give 3 consequences of the decrees in fertility + BR
- increased dependency ratio - less children, less ppl of working age in next generation, greater no. of dependant ppl :(
- Strain on public services - redundancies could be made; less demand e.g. in schools/ hospitals :(
- Further change sin GR - W have more time for careers, may lead to equality? :)
Give 4 causes of the decrease in DR + the increase in life expectancy
- The Beverage Report - greater G help for elderly/sick e.g. NHS, welfare benefits, pensions, care homes etc.
- Medical advances - antibiotics, vaccinations (TB/ measles), operations
- Improved hygiene + nutrition - rapid decline in absolute poverty in 20th cent (McKeown)
- Improved maternity care - NHS, decline in IMR, helped lower DR overall
What does McKeown argue is the man cause for the decrease in DR + increase in life expectancy?
Improved nutrition + living standards
Better nutrition helps increase better resistance to infectious diseases
BUT fails to explain why W live longer than M, even though they received less food
Give 5 consequences of the decrease in DR + increase in life expectancy
- Increased dependancy ratio - ageing pop, ‘pension timebomb’
- Increased family diversity - more beanpole/ lone/ widowed
- Increased strain to care for elderly - G no longer afford to provide care homes, burden usually falls on W
- Increased role of Gparents - allows both parents to work, ‘neo-conventional’
- Increased opportunities for older people - ageing population results in longer more fulfilling retirement period, ‘+ve ageing’ (Blaikie 1999)
Describe the term ‘pension timebomb’
Due to the ageing population
Around 1/2 welfare budget is already spent on pensions + elderly use NHS more:
50% of people in hospital + 60% of all prescribed drugs in 2013, even though over 65s make up 20% of population
G: increased pension age to 68 by 2018
What does Peter Townsend (1981) say about old age?
-ve attitudes towards the elderly in S are a resit of ‘old age’ being a socially constructed as a period of dependancy e.g. statutory retirement age which most people are expected to retire by
What does Hirsch propose as a solution to the ageing population?
Argues that policy changes aren’t enough to cope with ageing population
NEED to change CULTURAL views towards ageing too + recognise it as a social construct
e.g. need to move away from idea that people NEED to retire at 60-65
Give 4 causes of increased migration
- Increased international trade - greater opportunities to move
- Increase in global media/ new tech - know more about the world, encouragement move to better area, tech diminishes distance, stay connected (Litwak -‘modified extended fam)
- Increased transport links - air travel, low-cost (easy jet), cheaper + easier to migrate
- Political changes - creation of new international bodies (EU), fewer visa restrictions
e. g. EU members can work/ live in any EU country without a visa
Give 4 consequences of increased migration
- More family diversity - African Caribbean (matrifocal) vs India (extended)
- Increased population - lack of housing BUT more workers. Immigrant W have higher total fertility rate (2.2)
- Strains public services (NHS/ Ed), currently shortage of midwives + p. school teachers
- Lower average of population - immigrants = young adults, dependancy ratio not as high, can contribute (TAX) BUT more children (young dependants) = ££ for state e.g. free Ed
What is the main demographic trend that has created greater ethnic/ family diversity?
Immigration
What 2 ethnic groups have a higher proportion of lone parent families?
- Black Caribbean
2. Black African
