Demography Flashcards
When were there baby booms?
End ww1 and ww2, 60s
How has the number of births changed?
Long term decline since 1900
Why has the birth rate declined?
Children economic liability Child centredness Increasing position of women 1 in 5 45yr olds childless 2006 Decline in IMR Changing fertility
IMR rates
1900 UK 154
2003 Syria 144
1950 UK 50 - NHS increased knowledge
2007 UK 5
Why has IMR declined?
Better nutrition Better care for mothers and babies Improved housing and sanitation Less women working in bad conditions Better knowledge of child Heath and hygiene through women's magazines
Who argues against the idea that falling IMR led to smaller families?
Brass and Kabir 1978 -trend for smaller families start in cities not rural where IMR low
What are the effects of the changes in fertility?
More dual earners as less kids means more opportunity for both to work
Reduce the dependency ratio - short term good as reduce burden, long term bad as less to tax
Public services, I.e fewer schools and maternity clinics needed. Change in cost of maternity leave. BUT mainly political decisions.
What is the birth rate?
The number of live births per 1000 of the population per year
What is IMR?
The number of infants who die before their first birthday per thousand babies born alive per year.
What is the total fertility rate?
Average number of children a woman will have in her fertile years
What has the pattern to TFR been?
Reducing, peak 60s 2.95, but declined. Small rise since 1.63 2001 to 1.84 2006
Why is TFR declining?
More Childless
More delay having children and so have less
What is the amount and rate of deaths? How has this changed?
600,000 a year, same since 1900, but death rate changed.
1900 19
2007 10
When was there an increase in death rate?
Ww1 Spanish flu epidemic 1918 and ww2. 690,000 a year.
Since when has the death rate been declining?
50s
Why does Tranter (1996) believe the death rate has decreased?
Decrease pin infectious disease 1850-1970. Now main diseases disease of affluence, effect the older.
Social immunity to many previously deadly diseases.
Why does MCKEOWN (1972) believe the death rate has decreased?
Because of improved nutrition. Increase immunity and survival chance. Reduce deaths from TB and responsible for up to half the decrease in death rates.
Why else do sociologists believe that the death rate has decreased?
Smaller families- less transmission of disease
Higher incomes
Greater knowledge of illnesses
Decline in dangerous jobs, I.e mining.
Public health and enivroment measures, I.e clean air acts, stop smog like he one in 1952 which killed 4000 in 5 days.
Why are children an economic liability?
Laws say can’t work
Changing norms of what children have the right to expect from parents has changed increasing the cost of their welfare.
Why have some sociologists criticised MCKEOWN?
Women ate less but lived longer
Diarrhea and measles deaths rose during time of increased nutrition.
What is life expectancy?
How long a person born in a given year can expect to live
Why do we have an ageing population?
Increasing life expectancy
Decreasing IMR and TFR
Historical stats on life expectancy
1900 - 50
2005- 76
More chance of living to 65 in 2005 than living to 1 in 1900
How does region, gender and class effect life expectancy?
South, women, upper class more likely to live longer.
