deaths

• what is the death rate

• In 19___, the death rate stood at what?, whereas by 20___ it had more than halved, to what? 

• The death rate had already begun falling from about 18___ and continued to do so until 19___

• it rose slightly when?  but since the 19__ it has declined slightly.

• The death rate is the number of deaths per 1000 of the population per year.

• In 1900, the death rate stood at 19, whereas by 2019 it had more than halved, to 9.1.

• The death rate had already begun falling from about 1870 and continued to do so until 1930.

• it rose slightly during the 1930s and 1940s - the period of the great economic depression, followed by World War II - but since the 1950s it has declined slightly.

Reasons for the decline in the death rate

• There are several reasons why the death rate declined during the 20th century.

• According to Tranter (1996), over 3/4  of the decline in the death rate from about 1850 to 1970 was due to a fall in the number of deaths from infectious diseases such as , measles, smallpox, and tuberculosis (TB).

• Deaths from infectious disease were commonest in the young and most of the decline in the death rate occurred among infants, children and young adults.

• By the 1950s, so-called 'diseases of affluence' (wealth) such as heart disease and cancers had replaced infectious diseases as the main cause of death.

• These degenerative diseases affect the middle aged and old more than the young.

• There are several possible reasons for the decline in deaths from infection. It is possible that the population began to develop some natural resistance or that some diseases became less virulent (powerful).

Reasons for the decline in the death rate

• There are several reasons why the death rate declined during the 20th century.

• According to T____ (1996), over 3/4  of the decline in the death rate from about 18___ to 19___ was due to a fall in the number of deaths from i____  d___  such as , m____, s____, and t____ (TB).

• Deaths from i____ disease were commonest in the y____ and most of the decline in the death rate occurred among infants, children and young adults.

• By the 19___,  why type of diseases replaced infectious diseases as the main cause of death?

• These d____ diseases affect the whole more? 

• There are several possible reasons for the decline in deaths from i___. It is possible that the population began to develop some n___ r___ or that some diseases became less v___ (p__).

Reasons for the decline in the death rate

However, social factors probably had a much greater impact on infectious diseases. These include what 6 things?

Reasons for the decline in the death rate

However, social factors probably had a much greater impact on infectious diseases. These include the following:

1. improved nutrition 

2. medical improvements

3. smoking and diet 

4. public health measures 

5. other social changes. (occupations, families, public knowledge, lifestyle choices, higher incomes) 

Reasons for the decline in the death rate → improved nutrition 

• T____ M____ (1972) argues that improved nutrition accounted for up to half of what?, and was particularly important in what?

• Better nutrition increased r____ to i_ and increased the s____ c_____ of those who did become i____.

✘- However, McKeown does not explain why females, who receive a what?, lived longer than males.

✘- Similarly, he fails to explain why deaths from some infectious diseases, such as m____ and i____ d____, actually r____ at a time of improving nutrition.

Reasons for the decline in the death rate → improved nutrition 

• Thomas McKeown (1972) argues that improved nutrition accounted for up to half the reduction in death rates, and was particularly important in reducing the number of deaths from TB.

Better nutrition increased resistance to infection and increased the survival chances of those who did become infected.

✘- However, McKeown does not explain why females, who receive a smaller share of the family food supply, lived longer than males.

✘- Similarly, he fails to explain why deaths from some infectious diseases, such as measles and infant diarrhoea, actually rose at a time of improving nutrition.

Reasons for the decline in the death rate →medical improvements

• After the 1950s, improved medical k_____, t____ and o____ helped to reduce death rates

• Advances included the introduction of a____, i____, b____ t____, improved m____ services, as well as the setting up of the N____ H____ S____ in 19___.

• More recently, improved m____, bypass s____ and other developments have reduced deaths from heart disease by how much?

Reasons for the decline in the death rate →medical improvements

• After the 1950s, improved medical knowledge, techniques and organisation helped to reduce death rates

• Advances included the introduction of antibiotics, immunisation, blood transfusion, improved maternity services, as well as the setting up of the National Health Service in 1948.

• More recently, improved medication, bypass surgery and other developments have reduced deaths from heart disease by 1/3

• 
  

Reasons for the decline in the death rate →smoking and diet

• According to Harper, the greatest fall in death rates in recent decades has come not from medical improvements, but from what?

• However, in the 21st century, what has replaced smoking as the new lifestyle epidemic. For example, in 20___, how much of all UK adults were o____?,

• Yet, although obesity has increased dramatically, deaths from o_____ have been kept low as a result of d___ t____

• Harper suggests that we may be moving to an 'A____' health culture where lifestyles are u____ but where a l____ l____ is achieved by use of costly m___.

Reasons for the decline in the death rate →smoking and diet

• According to Harper, the greatest fall in death rates in recent decades has come not from medical improvements, but simply from a reduction in the number of people smoking.

• However, in the 21st century, obesity has replaced smoking as the new lifestyle epidemic. For example, in 2012, 1/4 of all UK adults were obese,

• Yet, although obesity has increased dramatically, deaths from obesity have been kept low as a result of drug therapies.

• Harper suggests that we may be moving to an 'American' health culture where lifestyles are unhealthy but where a long lifespan is achieved by use of costly medication.

Reasons for the decline in the death rate →public health measures

• In the ____th hcentury, more e____ c____ and l____ government with the necessary power to p____ and e____ laws led to a range of i____ in public health and the q____ of the e___.

• These included improvements in h___ (producing d___, better v____, less o____ a____), p____ d____ w___, laws to combat what?, the p_____ of milk, and improved s____ d____ methods.

• Similarly, the C____ A____ Acts reduced a____ p___, such as the s___ that led to how many deaths in f___ days in 19__

Reasons for the decline in the death rate →public health measures

• In the 20" century, more effective central and local government with the necessary power to pass and enforce laws led to a range of improvements in public health and the quality of the environment.

• These included improvements in housing (producing drier, better ventilated, less overcrowded accommodation), purer drinking water, laws to combat the adulteration of food and drink, the pasteurisation of milk, and improved sewage disposal methods.

• Similarly, the Clean Air Acts reduced air pollution, such as the smog that led to 4,000 deaths in five days in 1952.

Reasons for the decline in the death rate →Other social changes

Other social changes also played a part in reducing the death rate during the 20th century. These included:

• The decline of d____ m____ o____ such as m____

• Smaller families hep reduce what?  

• Greater p____ k____ of the c____ of i____

• l______ c_____, especially the r____ in the number of men who smoke.

• Higher i____, allowing for a h____ l____.

Reasons for the decline in the death rate →Other social changes

Other social changes also played a part in reducing the death rate during the 20th century. These included:

• The decline of dangerous manual occupations such as mining

• Smaller families reduced the rate of transmission of infection

• Greater public knowledge of the causes of illness

• Lifestyle changes, especially the reduction in the number of men who smoke.

• Higher incomes, allowing for a healthier lifestyle.

life expectancy

• Life expectancy refers to what? As death rates have fallen, what has happened to life expectancy

• Males born in England in 1900 could expect on average to live until when (how long for females.).

• Males born in the UK in 2018 can expect to live on average for how long? (how long for for females).

life expectancy

• Life expectancy refers to how long on average a person born in a given year can expect to live. As death rates have fallen, so life expectancy has increased. For example:

• Males born in England in 1900 could expect on average to live until they were 50 (57 for females).

• Males born in the UK in 2018 can expect to live on average for 87.6 years (90.2 years for females).

life expectancy

• Over the past two centuries, life expectancy has i____ by about t___ years per d___.

• what is one reason for lower average life expectancy in 1900?

• a newborn baby today has a better chance of reaching its what birthday. than a baby born in 19___ had of reaching its what birthday?

• If the trend to greater l____ (long lifespan) continues, H____ predicts that we will soon achieve 'r____ l____', with many more c_____ (people aged over

• 100).

• Currently there are about 15,000 in the UK; by 2100 there are projected to be one million.

life expectancy

• Over the past two centuries, life expectancy has increased by about two years per decade.

• One reason for lower average life expectancy in 1900 was the fact that so many infants and children did not survive beyond the early years of life.

• a newborn baby today has a better chance of reaching its 65th birthday than a baby born in 1900 had of reaching its first birthday.

• If the trend to greater longevity (long lifespan) continues, Harper predicts that we will soon achieve 'radical longevity', with many more centenarians (people aged over

• 100).

• Currently there are about 15,000 in the UK; by 2100 there are projected to be one million.

Class, gender and regional differences

• Despite the overall reduction in the death rate and the increase in life expectancy over the last 100 years, there are still important class, gender and regional differences

• . For example, which gender lives longer? - although the gap has n____ due to changes in e_____ and in l_____ (such as more w____ s___).

• similarly, those living in the N____ and S____ have a lower life expectancy than those in the S___, while w___-c___ men in unskilled or routine jobs are nearly three times as likely to d____ before they are 65 compared with men in m____ or p___ jobs.

•  According to W_____ 2011), those living in the poorest areas of England d____ on average s____ years earlier than those in the richest areas, while the average difference in disability-free life expectancy is 17 years.

Class, gender and regional differences

• Despite the overall reduction in the death rate and the increase in life expectancy over the last 100 years, there are still important class, gender and regional differences

• . For example, women generally live longer than men - although the gap has narrowed due to changes in employment and in lifestyle (such as more women smoking).

• similarly, those living in the North and Scotland have a lower life expectancy than those in the South, while working-class men in unskilled or routine jobs are nearly three times as likely to die before they are 65 compared with men in managerial or professional jobs.

• According to Walker (2011), those living in the poorest areas of England die on average seven years earlier than those in the richest areas, while the average difference in disability-free life expectancy is 17 years.