PAPER 2 (F&H Demography) Flashcards
Demography
The study of population.
Life chances
Chances of something positive or negative happening to you.
What has happened since 1900 & why?
Population has increased - immigration, people live longer, etc…
Birth rate
The number of births per 1000 of the population.
Fertility rate
The number of children a woman has between 15-44yrs.
What has happened to births and deaths since 1900?
Birth rate has fallen
Death rate has fallen
Changes in women’s position
Women are choosing to have fewer children later in life.
Sharpe
Decline in the infant mortality rate
- 154/1000 children died before first birthday in 1900.
- Now it is 4/1000
Brass and Kabir
Children are an economic liability
Until the late 19th century, children were economic assets to their parents.
Now they’re a liability.
Child-centredness
Major focus on children.
Improved nutrition - decreased death rate
McKeown - argues that improved nutrition accounted for up to half the reduction in death rates, particularly TB.
Doesn’t explain why females live longer than men.
Medical improvement - decreased death rate
After the 1948 introduction of the NHS, mass vaccination and immunisation programmes.
Also, improved maternity services, 1 in 10,000 women in the UK die in childbirth.
Smoking and diet - decreased death rate
- 1948 - 80% of men smoked, 40% of women
- Now, 13% of adults smoke.
- We are moving towards an ‘American health culture’
(Harper)
Public health measures - decreased death rate
Clean air acts - laws passed to say we must have clean air.
Air pollution accounts to about 13,000 excess deaths a year.
1952, SMOG, visibility was less than half a meter, smoke and fog were getting trapped.
Other reasons for decreased death rate
- Decline in dangerous manual jobs.
- Smaller families.
- Greater public knowledge.
- Higher income.
Life expectancy in the UK
Men - 79
Women - 83
How has life expectancy changed since 1900?
In 1900 it was 50 for men and 57 for women. Now it is 79 for men and 83 for women.
Class differences in life expectancy
Men in professional jobs live 7 years longer on average than men in unskilled manual jobs - who are 3x more likely to die before 65.
Gender differences in life expectancy
Women live longer than men. On average with a 4 year difference. Men are 3x more likely to commit suicide and take more risks.
Ethnic differences in life expectancy
People in poorer areas do not live as long than people in wealthier, especially the North and Scotland.
Why is life expectancy decreasing?
Since 2010, we have had Austerity. Government cut public service income.
What is the average age?
40
Why do we have an ageing population?
- Birth rates are decreasing
- Increased life expectancy
- Declining infant mortality
Public services (ageing population)
We are spending more resources to old people - e.g. money to the NHS & care homes.
One-pensioner households (ageing population)
- 1 in 8 households are one person pensioner households. Most are female.
- Sad and loneliness
- Under occupying houses (many live in the house over a long time alone whereas a family may want it)
Dependency ratio (ageing population)
- The number of people of working age for every pensioner.
- 3.2 people of WA to 1 P.
- Consequences - going to affect long term care, family structure, able to afford retirement.
Positive effects of an ageing population:
- Less crime. Average age of crime is 15 for girls and 18 for boys.
- Old people can help with childcare (beanpole families, 5million grandparents help)
- Old people work and spend (the grey pound)
Negative effects of an ageing population:
- Younger people need to look after them (especially women)
- The retirement age will need to go up and pensions reduced
- Housing shortage due to old people alone in big houses
Ageism
Negative stereotyping & unequal treatment of people on basis of age.
Structured dependency
- Old people are dependent on us because of social structures.
- Our roles and status are often determined by our economic contribution.
- Therefore those who make no economic contribution are seen as dependent and may face resentment.
Inequalities amongst the old:
- Class affects old age.
- Rich elderly may be retired for a very long time and poor elderly may work until they die.
- Gender - women live longer, but often have lower pensions.
Who is most concerned with immigration?
- People with less qualifications
- Poorer people
- Precariat = those without security
Immigration on the dependency ratio - WA
Immigrants are more likely to be of working age; helps to lower the dependency ratio.
Immigration on the dependency ratio - mas niños
Immigrants have more children, thus increasing the dependency ratio.
Immigration on the dependency ratio (3)
The longer a group is settled in the country, the closer their fertility rate comes to the national average.
The rise of information and communication technology (globalisation)
Time-space compression leading to people feeling cosmopolitan (okay with difference) whereas some feel threatened.
Economic factors (globalisation)
- Production is flexible and can be moved to different countries.
- Many goods and services are weightless (Quah) and exist online.
Political changes (globalisation)
Communism collapsed, capitalism rules the world. There is a global economy.
Migration has accelerated since pre-1990
Between 2000 and 2013 global immigration has increased by 33%.
Migration has become more differentiated since pre-1990
Before the 1990s, immigration to the UK tended to come from former British colonies. Now there is super-diversity (Vertovec)
Migration has become feminised since pre-1990
In the past, most migrants were men because they were economic providers.
