Factors affecting fertility and mortality

Factors affecting fertility

• Tradition

• Education

• Religion

• Age structure

• Economics

• Female status

• Government policy

tradition

cultural expectation for large families. Early marriage leads to earlier reproduction

Education

Increasing female literacy offers job prospects and delays childbirth. Birth control is understood and adopted, but this takes time.

Religion

Islam and Roman Catholics reject the use of birth control, but this is becoming less important as people become richer and faithful in different ways.

Age structure

If there is a high proportion of young people, then future fertility rates will be high compared to low rates with a small youthful population.

Economics

In LICs, children are a working asset and can support parents in old age. In HICs children are a financial burden, and companies must allow for childcare and flexible working hours.

Female status

As women gain a higher place in society, more focus is places on educating and employing them - reducing the BR.

Government policy

Pro/anti-natalist policies influence the immediate fertility variables (contraception, sterilisation, abortion, ability to conceive, ability to form physical relationships, frequency of physical relationships)

Factors affecting mortality

• Poverty

• Medical infrastructure

• Economic development

• Ageing population

• HIV/AIDS causes DR to increase dramatically

• Injury related illnesses

• Public pensions/healthcare

Poverty

Populations in LICS are more likely to die younger, producing a higher DR due to the following.

Medical infrastructure

Facility/staff/medicine shortages increase the DR as people can’t access good healthcare when they need it.

Economic development

A richer country leads to infrastructure developments, producing better water, sanitation, diets and access to healthcare. Reduces DR.

Ageing population

The increasing proportion of elderly causes DR to increase.

HIV/AIDS

Causes DR to increase dramatically. In Botswana,