Death Rate

Influences of Death Rate

Within a country or a region the level of the death rate, just like the birth rate, is subject to numerous influences. These include dramatic events such as wars and armed conflicts, occurrences of natural disasters (such as typhoons, earthquakes, or floods), levels of poverty, levels of economic development, dietary habits, and the size and scope of healthcare services. Thus, in nations that experience high death rates, such as those within the African continent, it is not unusual to find that the health care infrastructure is lacking in comparison to those found within developed nations. However, even within developed nations, the death rate for social groups can differ due to their ability to afford comprehensive medical care and insurance.

Even in an affluent society such as that of the United States, the death rate is much higher for members of the laboring classes than white-collar workers; they are less able to afford health afford premiums and expensive medical care. Moreover, in societies like the United States, where people often eat fatty fast food, levels of heart disease inflate the national death rate. Consequently, national governments attempt to educate and encourage more balanced dietary habits and healthier living, aiming to lower the death rate among particular social groups most at dietary risk, and society as a whole.

One of the most significant influences upon the death rate is the infant mortality rate. In nations like Angola, Afghanistan, and Sierra Leone, places with the three highest levels of infant mortality in the world, their death rates are much greater than the worldwide average (about 8.9 per 1,000). In Angola, for instance, the death rate is about 25 per 1,000, and in Afghanistan about 21, a result of armed conflicts, poverty, and a lack of adequate medical care outside of urban areas. However, in both places the infant mortality level is also above the global average, with about one in five Angolan children and one in six Afghani children dying before their first birthday.

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