demography - death

Question 1

How did medical improvements cause decline in death rates?

Answer 1

• After 1950s, improved medical knowledge, techniques helped reduce death rates.
• Advances included introduction of antibiotics, immunisation and NHS in 1948.
• Improved medication reduced death from heart disease by 1/3.

Question 2

How did improved nutrition cause decline in death rates?

Answer 2

• Thomas Mckeown argues that improved nutrition accounted for up to half reduction in death rates, particularly from TB.
• Better nutrition increased resistance to infection and increased the survival chances of those who did become infected.

Question 3

How does public health measures cause decline in death rates?

Answer 3

• Improvement in housing (less crowded accommodation), purer drinking water, improved sewage disposal methods.

Question 4

How does smoking diet cause decline in death rates?

Answer 4

• According to Harper, the greatest fall in death rates is because of the reduction in the number of people smoking.
• In 21st century, obesity has replaced smoking as the new lifestyle epidemic.

Question 5

What are the effects of an ageing population?

Answer 5

• The dependency ratio -> this is the relationship between those in paid employment and those mainly in receipt of pensions and in some cases benefits.
• More drain in services such as NHS.
• More lone person households.