Demographic and epidemiological transition

Document Type

Book chapter

Source Publication

The International Encyclopedia of Geography

Publication Date

3-20-2017

First Page

1379

Last Page

1386

Publisher

Wiley-Blackwell

Keywords

Age, economic development, epidemiology, health, inequality, modernization, population(s), public health, urbanization

Abstract

Demographic transition refers to the shift in vital rates within population groups at various geographical scales from a pattern of high birth (fertility) and death (mortality) rates to one of low rates. Epidemiologic(al) transition, a somewhat more recent concept, considers patterns of mortality change and causes of death (and sometimes ill health) from patterns dominated by infectious diseases to those in which chronic, degenerative physical ailments predominate, and increasingly mental ill-health conditions, including dementias. Paralleling both these transitions are recognized related changes such as “nutrition transition” and aging transition. All these patterns are evident internationally, regionally, and locally, but it is recognized that they may not be unidirectional. Indeed, different “speeds” of transition may occur in different places and sometimes reverses or mixed patterns may be observed.

DOI

10.1002/9781118786352

Publisher Statement

Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. All rights reserved. Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.

Additional Information

ISBN of the source publication: 9781118786352

Full-text Version

Publisher’s Version

Language

English

Recommended Citation

McCracken, K., & Phillips, D. R. (2017). Demographic and Epidemiological Transition. In D. Richardson (Ed.), The International Encyclopedia of Geography (pp. 1379-1386). New York: Wiley-Blackwell. doi: 10.1002/9781118786352

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