trends in family life

Question 1

death rates

Answer 1

-number of births exceeds the number of deaths causing the increase in population.

-the death rate has steadily fallen in the UK. 2014, 9.43 deaths per 1000 of the population.

-in 1851, life expectancy for females was 44 and males were 40.

reasons for this (McKeown)
- public health (sanitation and clean water)
-maternity care
-the welfare state (post ww2)
-creation of NHS in 1948

Question 2

ageing population

Answer 2

• There is significantly more over 65s today than 200 years ago and fewer children eg in 1821 27% were children now it’s just 5.5%.
• 2011 Census shows that those over 50 make up 35% of population and teenagers just 24%
• Those over 80+ increased by 30% in the last 30 years.

chambers- - The elderly pop is not a uniform group- they vary sexually, according to class etc.
- They are often stereotyped as ‘unproductive, dependent and infirm’ but 16% of 65-74-year olds are still economically active and play an active role in family life.
- They can be seen as a burden, but Chambers suggests they should be seen as a resource- indeed they have their own consumer market, the ‘silver shoppers’

Question 3

why do we have a ageing population?

Answer 3

• A decline in the death rate (especially infant mortality)
• The rise in life expectancy
• A decline in the fertility rate

Question 4

reasons for population growth

Answer 4

-increase in life expectancy
-fertility rates
-international migration

Question 5

decrease in birth rates

Answer 5

-change in gender roles
-individualisation
-contraception
-costs

UK birth rate has fallen from 20.5 per 1000 in 1947 to 11.1 in 2018.

Question 6

changes in fertility rates

Answer 6

decline
-reliable birth control. the contraceptive pill which became widely available from the NHS in 1961. between 1962 and 1969 around the number over women using the pill rose from around 50,000 to one million.