Since 1900, there has been a decrease in the death rate. Death rate is the number of deaths per thousand of the population per year. Although there is a negative trend there are some fluctuations such as World War 1(1914-18) and World War 2(1939-45) as well as the influenza epidemic of 1918 causing 690,000 deaths. In 1900, the death rate was 19 whereas in 2007 the death rate was just 10. The reduction of infectious diseases such as TB, smallpox and influenza caused the decline in death rates.
Examine the reasons for changes in birth rates and family size since 1900. 24 marks. The birth rate is the number of live births per 1000 of the population per year. There has been a decrease in the birth rate from 1900 to 2007 in England and Wales of an estimated 10.7, resulting in a decrease in family size. Many factors caused the change in birth rate and family size since 1900, including the changes in the position of women.
Life expectancy in 1900 was only around 47 for men and 50 for women whereas it now in 2013 83 for men and 87 for women. There are many reasons for the decline in the birth rate, the reduction of the infant mortality rate, meaning less children are dying in their first year of life, due to advancements in medical care meaning that families don’t need to reproduce a larger quantity of children on fear of death. Contraception was formally introduced in 1961 to the UK for married couples only, this meant that married couples could control the amount of children they could, which has become increasingly popular over the last 50 years because it has enabled couples and others to have sexual relations without resulting in a child. During the industrialization and up until around the 1900s, children were seen as a source of income to working class families as they could be sent out to work, so families had large amounts of children to bring in money. But due to the introduction of a law restricting the age of employment and compulsory education meant that children were now seen as a drain on money so families began to become smaller because of the expense of having a child.
Over the last 100 years life expectancy has increased steadily for both males and females. By the 1960’s women were living, on average, 5.8 years longer (CSO, 1996). In 1997 the life expectancy of females was 82 years and 77 years for males (Scambler, 1997). This could be due to world war one leaving a depleted male population and an increase in NHS services availability (Hart, 1989). The differences between males and females seems to be due to gender or social factors.
Throughout the eighteenth century, death rates were very high. Mortality rates were as high as 36 deaths per 1000 people in England. With improvements in quality of life and medicine, and decreases in infant mortality, the nineteenth century saw a decrease in the death rate. For instance, Denmark saw very low mortality rates of 13.2 per 1000 people. The worst mortality rates were in Spain and Russia.
Examine the reasons for, and the consequences of, the fall in the death rate since 1900 (24 marks) In the UK, the overall number of deaths has stayed fairly stable since 1900. However there has been some fluctuations, for example the number of deaths increased during the world wars. However, ignoring the two major increases, the death rate has fallen since 1900. Firstly, according to Thomas Mckeown (1972), improved nutrition is a main reason for the fall in the death rate. He argues that better nutrition increases resistance to infection and increases the survival chances of those who did get infected.
Examine the main trends in births and death rates in the United Kingdom since 1900. As the country’s population changes they are factors that contribute to the change in population. The main factors that affect population change in a country are birth and death rates. Over the years birth rates have largely declined leading to smaller family size due to various reasons, these reasons include a lower infant mortality, change in position of women and also change in position of children. Although there has been in a decrease in birth rate in the UK, net migration has lead to slight increase in the total fertility rate in the UK.
Each year, on average, 294 youths die from suicide. Many more attempt suicide. According to Statistics Canada figures, Canadian suicide rates greatly increased in the 1960s and 1970s and, though they became stable in the 1980s, yet they are still at the highest level in Canadian history. Between 1960 and 1978, the overall suicide rate rose from 7.6 per 100,000 populations to 14.8. During the last decade, the suicide rate, though relatively stable, has been about double the rate throughout most of the period from1921 to 1961 and well above previous highs recorded during the Depression of the 1930s.
Since the mid-1950s, suicide rates around the world have risen by 60%. Rates among young people have risen even faster, to the point where they are now the age group at highest risk in 35% of the world’s countries. The specific demographics, however, vary from country to country. China’s pattern, for example, is very different from that of most other countries. China has a suicide mortality rate of 23:100,000, with a total of 287,000 deaths by suicide each year.
Examine the reasons for changes in birth rates and family size since 1900 Sociologists use the concept of birth rate to measure births. The birth rate is defined as the number of live births per 1000 of the population per year. There has been a long-term decline in the number of births since 1900. In that year, England and Wales had a birth rate of 28.7, but by 2007 it had fallen to an estimated 10.7. However there have been changes in births, with three 'baby dooms' in the 20th century.