Social Gerontology, Research Paper Example

The population pyramids drawn for the USA, Ethiopia and China in the year 2009 and showing the proportion of each age group undoubtedly present fruitful material for comparison since the structures of population in these countries differ greatly. In general, it can be concluded that while Ethiopian people have a very short life expectancy and the elderly make up only a small proportion of population with the smallest number of people over 80, in the United States people tend to live over 60 and 70 with numerous examples of people over 85. In China only a tiny minority lives over 90-95, although the situation does not seem as critical as in Ethiopia. Ethiopia shows a steady decrease in population number starting from the date of birth, i.e. the newborns make up for the greatest proportion of population; whereas in China and the USA the most widely represented age group is formed by people from 30 to 45 and from 15 to 50 respectively.

Before interpreting the statistics and describing the ageing process for each country, we feel it important to identify the essential criteria. It goes without saying that quantitative analysis will have us look at the birth and death rates in the countries and rate of natural increase / decrease. We also have to consider infant mortality, for example, in order to explain the demographic situation in Ethiopia. We can estimate the relative quality of healthcare and ecology by investigating urbanization rates and the number of population with access to adequate sanitation both in towns and in rural areas as well as the number of HIV / AIDS-infected adults and undernourished people. To understand some peculiarities of working conditions, we have to look at literacy rates and secondary school enrollment numbers and the proportion of economically active males and females in each country.

The birth rate in Ethiopia shows a record figure of 40 children per 1,000 people, while in the USA it is only 14 children and in China – 12 which for the latter probably means the result of a strict demographic policy aimed at the reduced number of births. As to Ethiopia, the big figure had us immediately investigate such parameters as contraceptive use, the number of births attended by medically trained personnel and total fertility rate. We find that the readings depend heavily on the economic status of a person with lowest fertility rate for richest women and highest – for poorest who have a very limited access to contraception, family planning and healthcare. Only 10% of Ethiopian women get medical help in delivery which must account for a high infant mortality rate – 77 deaths for 1,000 life birth (in comparison, in China infant mortality rate is 23 and in the USA – 6.6). Naturally, the situation affects women’s life expectancy with 1 in 27 females dying in delivery (1 in 1,300 in China and only 1 in 4,800 in the USA). This means that many Ethiopian women just do not live into ripe old age.

Ethiopia also has a record death rate figure: 15 deaths per 1,000 people (8 in the USA and 7 in China). Still, roughly speaking, the annual number of births is three times as big as the number of death in Ethiopia, while both in China and the USA it is only twice as big. We can conclude that population growth in Ethiopia may be mainly written down to high birth rates; in contrast, in the USA and China, it is standards of life and healthcare which account for population growth and high proportions of adult and old people here.

The USA show the greatest urbanization rate – 79% (45% in China and only 16% in Ethiopia). In terms of health, however, we feel we have to reject the stereotypes of country life being healthy in comparison to city one in this case because for the Chinese and especially for the Ethiopian it rural life obviously means too little access to healthcare and proper sanitary conditions. The figures for Ethiopia are frightening as less than a half of the total population can use improved water sources and only 15% of the population have adequate sanitation (the figure being only 6% in the rural area). Which is more, it Ethiopia the proportion of fully vaccinated children fluctuates between 7 and 34% depending on the financial status of the family. In China 88% have access to improved water sources, but only 38% use adequate sanitation (24% in the villages). The USA seem to have combated the problem with 99 and 100% of population with high quality water and adequate sanitation both in the urban and rural areas. The proportion of HIV/AIDS-infected adults between the ages of 15-49 is about 2.1%, which reminds us of inadequate contraception and poor healthcare in the area, while in the USA the figure is 0.6% and only 0.1% in China. The undernourished population makes up to 46% of all people in Ethiopia, while in China it is only 12% and less than 2.5% in the USA. As we can see, Ethiopia does not provide its people with due healthcare which accounts for such a short life span of Ethiopian people, while the USA and China have created an effective healthcare system which allows people to live longer lives.

As to the financial and social status of people in each country, let us first investigate education rates. In both the USA and China the figures amount to nearly 100% of literate population; whereas in Ethiopia only 63% of men and 52% of women are literate with 28% of men and 16% of women receiving secondary school education. This factor determines the characteristics of workforce. It can be concluded that in Ethiopia less than a half of the population have qualified jobs and the rest are likely to perform physical work which must affect living standards and health of people. In contrast, the American and Chinese tend to receive secondary school education (about 70% in China and 94% in the USA) and, consequently, to have qualified jobs ensuring certain social and financial security.

On balance, it can be said that while China and especially the USA demonstrate characteristic features of developed countries in terms of demography and social gerontology, Ethiopia bears the traits of a developing country. Only a tiny minority of the Ethiopian live into the old age and the country mainly relies on high birth rates for population growth. In the USA and China, however, elderly people make up a substantial part of the population due to improved living standards and healthcare conditions. Modernization theory suggests that in developed countries elderly people suffer from a decline in their status as they are squeezed out of the labor market and people tend to live in nuclear families leaving their elderly on their own. However, the developed countries (and in this respect China falls into the category) surely offer the elderly much greater social and economic security and better medical care.

If I try and imagine myself as a 65-year-old Ethiopian, I think of living in a village with my, say, five adult children and still working. For example, I might farm or be a craftsperson. I do not think I would expect any rest in a form of retirement unless an illness disables me and prevents from working. In my village I would probably be regarded as a sage old person and be treated with respect since not many live into my age. In China I would have retired by the age of 65 and hope for some calm and secure years ahead. In the USA, perhaps, I would be enjoying my retirement if I have a nice financial cushion. I would take to traveling and cherish the prospect of about twenty more free and untroubled years.

References

Ethiopia: 2009. Population Pyramid. Retrieved March 2, 2009, from http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/ipc/idbpyry.pl?cty=ET&maxp=19517247&maxa=100&ymax=250&yr=2009&.submit=%26%231054%3B%26%231090%3B%26%231087%3B%26%231088%3B%26%231072%3B%26%231074%3B%26%231080%3B%26%231090%3B%26%231100%3B

Ethiopia: Demographic Highlights. Retrieved March 2, 2009, from http://prb.org/Datafinder/Geography/Summary.aspx?region=166&region_type=2

China: 2009. Population Pyramid. Retrieved March 2, 2009, from http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/ipc/idbpyry.pl?cty=CH&maxp=67043344&maxa=100&ymax=250&yr=2009&.submit=%26%231054%3B%26%231090%3B%26%231087%3B%26%231088%3B%26%231072%3B%26%231074%3B%26%231080%3B%26%231090%3B%26%231100%3B

China: Demographic Highlights. Retrieved March 2, 2009, from http://prb.org/Datafinder/Geography/Summary.aspx?region=166&region_type=2

Parham D., Status of Older People: Modernization. Retrieved March 2, 2009, from http://www.novelguide.com/a/discover/eoa_04/eoa_04_00387.html

United States: 2009. Population Pyramid. Retrieved March 2, 2009, from http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/ipc/idbpyry.pl?cty=US&maxp=14472339&maxa=85&ymax=250&yr=2009&.submit=%26%231054%3B%26%231090%3B%26%231087%3B%26%231088%3B%26%231072%3B%26%231074%3B%26%231080%3B%26%231090%3B%26%231100%3B

United States: Demographic Highlights. Retrieved March 2, 2009, from http://prb.org/Datafinder/Geography/Summary.aspx?region=72&region_type=2