Families: demography Flashcards
(28 cards)
What is fertility rate
The number of women who are of childbearing age and how many children they have
What is the total fertility rate
The average number of children a woman will have in their fertile years
How has fertility rate changed in recent years
It is rising but us still much lower than in the past
What is the cause of changinf fertility and birth rates
- More women not having children
- Women having children later
Why is birth rate decreasing
- Changes in womens position
- Decline in infant mortality rate
- Children are an economic liability
- Child centredness
What does Harper argue is the main reason for changes in birth rates
The education of women has led to a changed mindset, resulting in fewer children
Why does Harper argue the fall in infant mortality rate has led to a fall in birth rates
If many infants die, parents will have more children to replace the child that was lost. If infants survive, parents will have less of them
What has caused the fall in UK infant mortality rate
- Improved housing and better sanitation
- Better nutrition
- Better knowledge of hygiene, child health and welfare
- Improved services for mothers and children
How have children become an economic liablilty
- Laws banning child labour and compulsory schooling has made children economically dependent on ther parents for longer
- Changing norms around what a child can expect from their parents
How has child centredness led to a fall in birth rates
Shift from quantity to quality of children
What is the dependency ratio
The relationship between the size of working or productive part of the population and the size of the non working or dependent part of the population
How are families more likely to be symmetrical with less children
Women are more likely to work and create dual earner families
How is the dependency ratio affected by lower fertility rates
Children make up a large part of the dependent population so a fall in the number of children reduces the burden of dependency on the working population
What are vanishing children
Childhood may become more lonely as fewer children will have siblings
What causes vanishing children
Falling fertility rates
How could less children being born affect the population
The average age of the population will rise
How has death rate changed recently
Decreased
Why is there a decline in death rate
- Improved nutrition
- Medical improvements
- Less people smoking
- Public healthough measures
- Decline of dangerous manual occupations
- Greater knowledge about cause of illnesses
- Higher incomes
- Lifestyle changes
What does McKeown argue is the main cause of decreased death rate
Improved nutrition
How does McKeown argue improved nutrition has decreased death rates
Increased resistance to infection and increased chance of survival of those who did get infected
What is a criticism of McKeown
Ignored how females live longer despite having smaller share of food supply
What does Harper argue is the biggest cause of the fall in death rates
Less people are smoking
What public health measures have decreased death rates
- Improvements in housing
- Purer drinking water
- Improved sewage disposal
What is life expectancy
How long on average a person can expect to live
