Demographical comparison (Essay Sample)

Name Tutor Course Date Demographic profile on the Netherlands compared to Thailand A demographic is the characteristics of human population and various population segments used to identify consumer markets and hence a demographic profile is the profile used to analyze the markets over a period of time. Demographic transition is the change from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates as a country develops from one stage to another towards an industrialized economic system. Netherlands according to the survey conducted in year 2011 is among the top 65 most populated country in the world with a population of about 16.6 million. Over the years its population has grown rapidly. For example between the years 1901 and the 1950 the population had increased from 5.1 million recorded in 1901 to 10 million people in 1950. Between the years 1951 and 2000 the population again increased from the recorded 10 million to 15.9 million people. In terms of the most densely populated countries in the world, Netherlands has been ranked among the top 25 countries. The total population of Netherlands is said to be settled on an area of 41526 km² and hence a population density of about 400 people per km². With the current growth rate remaining constant, it can be estimated that in another 50 years the population would be about 21 million. The demographic transition in Netherlands has also occurred as the fertility rate has gone down from about 3.10 in the 1950's to 1.8 in the year 2000. The infant mortality rate per 1000 births per year has also decreased from 26.7 in the year 1950 to 3.8 in the year 2000. All this can be recorded due to the improvement in the medical fields and also the emphasis placed on the importance of family planning in the current world. Thailand on the other hand is in Southeastern Asia. It is twice as long (North to South) as it is wide (East to West). Thailand currently is a host to about 67.1 million people. The population growth in Thailand seems to have happened more rapidly than that of Netherlands as between the years 1901 to 1950 it had a population of 6.32 million in 1900 which increased to 19.63 million in 1950 and from 1951, the population again rapidly increased to an estimate of 60.6 million in the year 2000. From the statistics above, the population in Thailand is almost four times the population found in Netherlands. The population density in Thailand is estimated to be at 119 people per km² and hence among the lowest population density in the whole of Asia. This implies that given another 50 years and the current growth rate, the population would increase to over 100 million in Thailand. The demographic transition in Thailand also occurred and was very significant as there was a reduction in the mortality rate. Prior to the World War 2, the mortality rate per 1000 individuals per year was estimated to be at 30 people but presently it is estimated to be at 7 people per 1000 individuals per year and the infant mortality rate has also been reduced from 100 infants to less than 15 infants per 1000 live births in each year. The fertility rate has also been reduced due to the constant emphasis on the importance of family planning. Hence, this has led the Thailand families to have smaller numbers of people in each family. Thailand's population is also mostly comprised of more elder people than the young and hence it is headed towards an aging population. This shows that the two countries have the issue on elderly people in common that at some point in future the two will be inhabited by a population with many elderly people most of who will be of the female gender. Thailand compared to Netherlands, Thailand has a population that is almost four times that of Netherlands which was just rocketing from one figure to the other. An assessment of mortality by age, sex and causes provide evidence so as to guide health program evaluation, health services planning and prevention programs. Data on the causes of death by age and sex is a complete vital registration. In Thailand most of the deaths are incomplete and also the causes of the deaths are poorly recorded. Mortality data in Thailand cannot be used to estimate the various and most killer diseases as it is normally done in the various countries in the world. As of 2011, Thailand had an infant mortality rate of 11 deaths per 1000 live births while that of under 5 years the mortality rate was 12 children per 1000 live births meaning even if a child survived after being an infant, they faced a risk of not going past the age of five years. Their life expectancies at birth were for the males 71 years and the females 77 years. In the 1960's, Thailand had a very high infant mortality rate which was at an estimate of 98 infant deaths in each 1000 live births. The numbers then reduce to around 50 infant deaths in every 1000 live births in the 1980's and in the recent survey of 2011, it was noted that the infant deaths had drastically reduced to 11 per 1000 live births. Though the numbers are still high, the infant mortality may continue reducing until they reach very a very minimal level. Out of all these infant mortality rates, the males were the ones who were majorly affected. Most of the males did not survive and hence the females were more dominant. The infant mortality rate in Thailand was thought to be high due to the poor feeding schedules of the mothers. Also due to the poor state of the people, they cannot afford hospitals and hence prefer home births which is not safe and may lead to death. Unlike in the developed countries where an expectant mother is supposed to relax and wait to deliver, in Thailand the case is the opposite where by the mother works until the last minute and hence the unborn infant may face various problems at birth and also in the adult life. Although the issues related to ageing are recent in Thailand, the government and other institutions have been active and fast to recognize the need for adequate information to develop appropriate policies regarding Thailand's elderly population and as a result, major national surveys of older persons have been conducted since the year 1986. The current data relies on the 2007 survey done on the elderly people. The 2007 survey covered persons age 50 and older living in private households. The analysis is however limited to the about than 30,000 persons age 60 and older.27% of these respondents, information was provided by a proxy respondent. Just over 90% of the proxy interviews were provided by another household member. In three quarters of these cases the older person was absent. Health related problems of the older persons accounted for almost all of the proxy remaining interviews. In the study, exception of the analysis of responses related to psychological wellbeing, the results are based on responses provided by either the older person or a proxy. For convenience we the term respondent is used to refer to either the older persons to whom the responses apply regardless of whether or not a proxy actually provided the information. The fact that the survey was limited to private households means that older persons in institutional settings were not covered. Thus the small numbers of older persons in old age or nursing homes were omitted. Older persons living in religious institutions such monks and nuns were also omitted. Given that about 2% of Thai men age 60 and over are monks according to the 2000 census. In Netherlands, the mortality rate in the elderly people came to a standstill or stagnation between the years 1980's and1990's. Other more developed countries still continued reducing their mortality rate rapidly over time. In the 1960's, the infant mortality rate in the Netherlands was recorded to be at 16 infants in each 1000 births this decreased to about 9 deaths per 1000 live births in 1980 and in the recent survey in the year 2011 the mortality rate had further gone down to about 3 infant deaths in every 1000 live births. The decrease in the infant mortality rate can be attributed to the fact that over time Netherlands has seen an improvement in the maternal and healthcare systems and also disease eradication programs. Over time, it has been noted that the male sex have a higher mortality rate than females at each stage in most countries including Netherlands. Most of the males who survived had other birth complications such as low birth weight which would have an impact on their lives later on and thus the reason males are more exposed to higher mortality than the females at every age. There were various causes of these infant mortality deaths noted in Netherlands after research was done. Most expectant mothers do not go for constant check-ups some of whom continuously smoke and take alcohol during pregnancy which would have adverse effect on the unborn infant. Home births are also another reason as when the mother faces difficulties delivering, she will not get the specialized medical attention required. These reasons are among the contributors to infant mortality in Netherlands. The mortality rate Thailand was higher than that of the Netherlands but in both instances the mortality rate among the male gender was higher than in the females most of the infant mortality cases are brought about by the negligence of the mothers and also the poverty among the mothers. There are a number of variables that determine the fertility levels in both Netherlands and Thailand. I will discuss each of them briefly. Infant mortality rate is among the variable and it determines the fertility levels in that in the areas where infant and childhood mortality is high, the parents in the society would have to produce a number of births higher than the number of children they want so that they may ensure there is a survival of the number of children they want to have to adulthood. A reduction in the infant mortality rate would reduc...