Reasons behind high birth and death rates: developing countries

Reasons for high birth rate (12) (Two Angry Ants Always Hide All Precious Little Rock’s Down Every Inch)

• Traditional beliefs and customs

• Absence of old age security

• Adherence to religious doctrine

• Agrarian based economy

• High infant mortality rate

• Absence of family planning programmes

• Political (govt inducements)

• Low family planning

• Rural setting/environment

• Disempowerment of illiterate women

• Early marriages

• Increase in land productivity and food

Traditional or religious beliefs and customs (HBR)

• To have a male heir to carry on the family name

• Daughters are seen as a liability (giving of dowry) and for added status in the community

Absence of old age security (HBR)

• People are not looked after through pensions to health services

• The children are viewed as security when parents reach old age

Adherence to religious doctrine (HBR)

Some in the Muslim and Roman Catholic religions oppose artificial birth control

Agrarian based economy (HBR)

• Children are viewed as assets - they help out on the farm, earn money for the family and take care of aged parents

• Low cost of child dependency years

High infant mortality rate (HBR)

• Medical and health services are poor

• Parents give birth to as many children as possible to ensure some of their children will survive to adulthood

• They end up having more than expected

Absence of family planning programme (HBR)

• No investment in sex education

• Lack of information about birth control/family planning

Political (govt inducements) (HBR)

Government offer inducements and concessions to encourage large families

Low family planning (HBR)

• Ignorance or lack of education on family planning

• Low social awareness

• Little opportunity for employment

• Limited choice of action

Rural setting/environment (HBR)

• Availability of space to carry a large family

• Low expenses of upbringing children as cost of living is low

Disempowerment of illiterate women (HBR)

• They neither have high aspirations nor are career-minded

• They are family bound, their lives revolve around the family

Early marriages (HBR)

Women have a longer reproductive span / child bearing years

Increase in land productivity and food production (HBR)

Employment of scientific methods of cultivation has alleviated starvation and famine

Reasons for high death rate (6) (Daily Focus Prevents Lazy Work Nights)

• Disease and plague

• Famine, uncertain food supplies, poor diet

• Poor hygiene; no piped, clean water and no sewage disposal

• Little medical science; few doctors, hospitals, drugs

• War and ethnic cleansing

• Natural disasters