Demography - Deaths

Question 1

What is the death rate?

Answer 1

Number of deaths per 1,000 of the population, per year.

Question 2

What has happened to the number of deaths?

Answer 2

1900 = fairly stable (but fluctuated through wars).

Question 3

What’s the trend in the death rate?

Answer 3

1870-1930 = fell.

1930/40s = rose (due to depression and WW).

1950s = declined slightly.

Question 4

Why did the death rate fall, but the number stayed constant?

Answer 4

Because of the growth in population.

Question 5

What are the reasons for the fall in the death rate?

Answer 5

1) . Improved nutrition.
2) . Medical improvements.
3) . Public health improvements.
4) . Other social change.

Question 6

How has improved nutrition led to a decline in the death rate?

Answer 6

McKeown (1972) =

better diet accounted for half the reduction in the death rate, by increasing peoples resistance to infection.

Question 7

How has medical improvements led to a fall in the death rate?

Answer 7

1950s =

• fell due to medical factors;
• vaccines, blood transfusions, antibiotics, better maternity services and the NHS.

Question 8

How has public health improvements led to a fall in the death rate?

Answer 8

More effective government passing laws governing health =

• better housing, purer drinking water, cleaner air, laws against adulteration of food and drinks and improved sewage disposal.

Question 9

What other social changes have led to a fall in the death rate?

Answer 9

Decline of more dangerous manual occupations =

• mining.
• smaller families reduced the transmission of infection.
• greater knowledge of the causes of illness.
• higher incomes.

Question 10

Evaluate the reasons for the fall in the death rate?

Answer 10

Although the medical profession take credit, social and economic factors had the most overall impact.

Question 11

What is meant by ‘life expectancy’?

Answer 11

How long on average a person born in a given year can expect to live.

Question 12

What is the trend in the life expectancy?

Answer 12

Greatly increased since 1900.

Question 13

What’s the difference for the life expectancy in 1900 and 2013?

Answer 13

1900 = 50 years for males, 57 for females.

2013 = 90.7 years for males, 94 for females.

Question 14

What is the reason for the increase of life expectancy?

Answer 14

IMR falling, in 1900, the high IMR was bringing the life expectancy down.