demography Flashcards
Effects of changes in fertility - The family
> Smaller families mean women are more likely to go out to work - dual earner couples
Effects of changes in fertility - Dependency ratio
> Less children reduces the burden of dependency
However, this means fewer young adults in future so burden may increase again
Effects of changes in fertility - Services and policies
> Less children means less schools and child health services
However, the government could decide on smaller class sizes instead of less schools
Effects of changes in fertility - Ageing population
> Less children means the average age of the population is rising - more old people compared to young people
Reasons for decline in birth rate - Women’s position
> HARPER - education led to a change in mindset - less children
Use family planning and see other possibilities in life
Reasons for decline in birth rate - Decline in infant mortality rate
> Infants surviving means parents will have less children
IMR 1900 - 154
IMR UK 1950 - 30 - mass immunisation against childhood diseases, antibiotics to fight infection, and improved midwifery techniques
IMR UK 2019 - 4.6
However, BRASS and KABIR - smaller families began in urban areas, where IMR was higher for longer
Reasons for decline in birth rate - Children as an economic liability
> Economically dependent on parents for longer - laws banning child labour, compulsory schooling, and raising school leaving age
Changing norms on what children expect from their parents in material terms
Reasons for decline in birth rate - Child centredness
> ‘Quality over quantity’ - more attention and resources on less children
Reasons for decline in birth rate - Future trends
> Slight increase during first decade of 21st century
Immigration - mothers outside of UK have a higher fertility rate - 28% of births in 2018 were to mothers from outside of UK
Reasons for decline in death rate - Improved nutrition
> MCKEOWN - better nutrition increase resistance to infection and increased survival chances if infected
However, he doesn’t explain why females lived longer than men, but they receive a smaller share of family food
Reasons for decline in death rate - Medical improvements
> National health service in 1948
After 1950s, advantages included antibiotics, immunisation and improved maternity services
Recently, medication and by-pass surgery have reduced heart disease deaths by 1/3
Reasons for decline in death rate - Smoking and diet
> HARPER - greatest fall was from less people smoking
Obesity has become the new smoking epidemic - 2012, 1/4 of all UK adults were obese - deaths kept low because of drug therapies
‘American’ health culture - lifestyles are unhealthy but a long lifespan achieved by medication
Reasons for decline in death rate - Public health measures
> Improvements in housing
Purer drinking water
Improved sewage disposal methods
Clear air acts reduced air pollution
Reasons for decline in death rate - Life expectancy
> Over the past two centuries, increased by about 2 years per decade
HARPER - soon achieve ‘radical longevity’
Reasons for decline in death rate - Class, gender and regional differences
> Women generally live longer than men
Working class men in unskilled jobs are more likely to die before 65
WALKER - poorest areas die on average seven years earlier
