Question

What is meant by the demographic transition? Relate the epidemiologic transition and the fertility transition (two elements of the demographic transition) to its four phases.

Short answer

Demographic transition describes the shift of birth and death rates from high to low levels in a society. This process is typically divided into four stages: Pre-industrial, Urbanizing/Industrializing, Mature Industrial, and Post-Industrial. Two elements of this process are the epidemiologic transition, which explains changes in patterns of health, disease, and related mortality rates, and the fertility transition, which describes the changes in birth rates from high to low levels.

Step-by-step solution

Define Demographic Transition

Demographic transition refers to the historical shift of birth and death rates from high to low levels in a population. Generally, it can be divided into four phases, which include: The Pre-industrial stage, The Urbanizing/Industrializing stage, The Mature Industrial stage, and the Post-Industrial stage.

Describe Epidemiologic Transition

Epidemiologic transition is one element of the demographic transition which is connected to the changes in patterns of health and disease and related mortality rates as societies undergo demographic transition. It accounts for the death rate in the demographic transition model. In the Pre-industrial stage, infectious and parasitic diseases are the primary cause of death. During the Urbanizing/Industrializing stage, recurrence of receding pandemics takes place. The Mature Industrial stage witnesses the rise of degenerative and human-made diseases and in the Post-Industrial stage, delayed degenerative diseases occur.

Describe Fertility Transition

Fertility transition refers to the shift from a high fertility and high mortality rate to low fertility and low mortality rate. It corresponds to the birth rate in the demographic transition model. In the Pre-industrial and the Urbanizing/Industrializing stage, fertility rates are high due to low access to birth control and the high demand for children in agriculture-based economies. In the Mature Industrial stage, fertility begins to decline due to increased access to contraception and lowered child mortality. Lastly, in the Post-Industrial stage, fertility rates stabilize at or even below replacement level.