Demography Flashcards
Death rate and Life expectancy
-Death rate refers to the rate of deaths per 1000 of the population in the UK- sometimes referred to as crude (natural) mortality rate
-began falling from 1870, continuing until 1930. rose slightly during 1930s and 1940s bc of economic depression and WW2. Since 1950s it’s been declining slightly.
-Life expectancy refers to the average length of time that somebody born in that year is expected to live
-babies born in 1900 : 50 (m) 57 (f)
- babies born in 2013 : 90.7 (m) 94 (f)
-These figures are often presented by geographical areas and can be linked to the level of deprivation in an area
Death rates over time
-In 2019 there were over half a million deaths recorded in the UK, the lowest number over the last 5 years
Why are people living longer?
-Advances in medicine
-Changes in lifestyles
-changes to employment
-Higher standards of living
- Advances in medicine
-Creation of the NHS (free healthcare) and the welfare state
-Research and development into medicines this enables effective treatment for life-threatening illnesses to be developed and for medical technology to built that discovers health issues in time for them to be treated
- Changes to lifestyles
-Healthier diets due to availability of products from around the world
-More effective lifestyles-growth of gym and personal fitness industry
-Greater awareness of illness and disease and taking preventative action
- Higher standards of living
-Although in recent years there has been a wage stagnation, there has been improvements in standards of living
-Estimated £2500 per annum spent by each UK household on health, fitness and diet
-More leisure time and more time spent with family
-Better housing, e.g. central heating, double glazing, less damp
What are birth rates and fertility rates?
-Birth rates are the number of live births that occur each year per 1,000 of the population
-The fertility rate is the average number of children a women will have during her fertile year
-Infant morality rate is the number of children who die the first year of their lives per 1000 births
What are 2 important trends of birth rate?
-more women are remaining childless
-women are having children later, average age is 30
What are the effects of a falling birth rate?
-lower birth rates and fertility rates have many effects on the family and on society
- more women can go into work which means there are more dual earner couples
- fewer children reduces the ‘burden of dependency’ on the working population
- effect on public services : there are fewer schools and child health services needed. less needs to be spent on maternity and paternity leave.
Dependency ratio
-Refers to the proportion of the population that is dependent on the welfare state in comparison with the proportion of the population in employment
What are the reasons for the fall in the birth rate?
1) changes in the position of women (more women working and increased opportunities)
2) fall in the IMR (decreased bc of better healthcare, sanitation, nutrition, and knowledge of hygiene for both mother and child.)
3) children as an economic liability (they’re an economic liability because of changing norms and laws banning child labour)
4) child-centredness (childhood is now constructed as a uniquely important period and this has led to a shift from ‘quantity’ to quality’ (fewer children get more attention and resources).
define infant mortality rate (IMR)
number of infants who die before their 1st birthday
What are the effects of an ageing population?
1) public services (older people consume more health and social care services)
2) more one-person pensioner households (these now account for one in every seven households)
3) rising dependency ratio (the non-working old need to be provided by those of working age, e.g. taxation to pay for pensions and health. more retired people means increased DR)
4) ageism (age statuses are socially constructed. old age is often constructed as a problem.negative stereotypes often portrays the old as income and a burden.)
what are the legal implications of an ageing population?
Hirsch (2005) :
> we’ll need new policies to finance a longer old age.
> e.g. paying more in taxes or by raising the retirement age, or both.
> e.g. increase in women’s pensionable age from 60 to 65
What is migration?
-Migration refers to the movement of people from one geographical area to another
-Emigration is the term used to describe people leaving a geographical area
-Immigration refers to people coming into a geographical area
-Net migration is the measure of people coming into a country less the number leaving
