Death Rates: Demography

What is the death rate?

the number of deaths per 1000 of the population per year

What has happened to the UK death rate since 1900?

long term decline

What was the UK death rate around 1900?

approx. 19 deaths per 1000 people

What was the UK death rate by 2019?

approx. 9.1 deaths per 1000 people

What is life expectancy?

the average number of years a person born in a given year can expect to live for

How has life expectancy changed since 1900?

increased significantly over time

What was male life expectancy around 1900?

approx. 50 years

What was female life expectancy around 1900?

approx. 57 years

What is male life expectancy today?

approx. 78 years

What is female life expectancy today?

approx. 82 years

What is one consequence of falling death rates?

an ageing population

How does social class affect life expectancy?

working class men are more likely to die before the age of 65 than professional men

How does region affect life expectancy in the UK?

there is a lower life expectancy in the north of England and Scotland than in the south

How does gender affect life expectancy?

women live longer than men (but the gap is narrowing)

Why is the gender gap in life expectancy narrowing?

women are adopting lifestyles similar to men, such as smoking and paid work

What are the four main causes of the decline in death rates?

• improved nutrition

• medical improvements

• smoking & diet

• public health measures

What does McKeown (1972) argue about the cause of declining death rates?

improved nutrition is responsible for a large part of the decline because stronger immune systems have greater resistance to disease

How have rising living standards reduced death rates?

• better housing

• better diets

• less poverty

How have medical improvements reduced death rates?

• antibiotics

• vaccinations

• blood transfusions

• improved treatments

How did the NHS help to improve life expectancy?

universal access to free healthcare

How have public health measures reduced death rates?

• improved sanitation

• clean water supply

• waste disposal systems

What kind of environmental policies have helped to reduce deaths?

• pollution control

• clean air legislation

How has improved education helped reduce death rates?

increased awareness of hygiene, health, and disease prevention

What lifestyle changes help to improve life expectancy?

• healthier diets

• more exercise

• reduced smoking

How has the welfare state contributed to lower death rates?

• healthcare

• pensions

• support for vulnerable groups

How has work changed to reduce death rates?

decline in dangerous manual labour

How have smaller families reduced death rates?

• improved home hygiene

• less spread of infectious diseases