11/02/2019

AGE- SEX COMPOSITION

• Age and Sex composition is essential for all demographic
AGE AND SEX COMPOSITION investigations of a population

• Data on these two demographic variables are the starting point

for all analysis of the population

• They are central to understanding the nature and functioning of

societies.

• They not only reveal the history of a population but also its future
prospects

1 4

•Introduction AGE-SEX COMPOSITION

•Population pyramids
• At individual level it tracks particular milestones
•Age composition •Marriage
•Classification •Death
•Dependency ratios •Educational Attainment etc.
•Support ratios • At the aggregate level
•Population ageing •Age of societies
•Sex composition •When you engage in certain behaviours
•Sex ratios
•Son preference

2 5

INTRODUCTION
• Age and sex are the two most important variables in demographic
analysis. •John Weeks:
• Demographers’ definition of age— Completed age, i.e. age of an
individual at last birthday. “Changes in the age/sex
• Age is usually published in 5 or 10 year age groups.
• Sex is defined as the male and female in terms of biological functions.
structure affect virtually all
• Gender is defined as the social roles, norms associated with being social institutions and
male and female.
represent a major force for
social change”.
[Weeks, Chapter 8]

3 6

1
 11/02/2019

AGE and SEX STRUCTURE Why Population Structures Matter

This is the distribution of the population by age and sex within a • Population structures provide insights into the political,
given year or a period in time.
economic, social and natural [famine, wars] history of a county.

The structure of the population is worth studying because different • Populations have a life-cycle – [very young, youthful, transitional,
groups in the population have different needs.
mature] which is shaped by strong population processes

Different groups are more at risk of experiencing a particular operating in the past.
demographic event
(females 15-49 [reproductive age group] at risk of a maternal death)

7 10

Age and Sex Structure The Population Pyramid

[age-sex pyramid]
• Age data are collected by single years of age
• But presented in 5 year age-groups [cohorts] to make analysis • This is a graphical illustration of the age and sex composition of the
easier population.

•0-4
It comprises two bar-graphs, one for males [on the left] and one for
females [on the right].
•5-9
•10-14
The pyramid may be plotted using absolute numbers or using
percentages.
•15-19 etc.

Percentages reflect the share of each age-sex group in the total
population.
N.B. Age-groups should not overlap

8 11

Groups in the Population The Population Pyramid

• <1 year infant [age-sex pyramid]
• 0-17 children
• 10-19 adolescents • Each horizontal bar represents an age or an age-group.
• 15-24 youth
• 10-24 young people • The picture therefore shows the size of each new birth cohort and
their attrition over time.
• 0-14 child dependents/dependent young
• 15-64 working age
• Population pyramids display the impact of fertility, mortality and
• 60+ elderly migration.
• 65+ dependent elderly
• 60-74 Young elderly
• 75+ Old elderly
• 80+ disabled elderly

9 12

2
 11/02/2019

The Population Pyramid Population Pyramid Jamaica, 1991

[age-sex pyramid]
Male Female
• There are three distinctive shapes: 75+

The Expansive pyramid 70-74

65-69
[ high fertility and mortality rate, a broad base 60-64

indicating a high % of children]. 55-59

50-54
 The Constrictive pyramid 45-49

[bulge in working age population, low fertility 40-44

and low mortality, indicating lower percentages of 35-39

30-34
children]. 25-29

 The Stationary pyramid 20-24

15-19
[negative growth, very low birth rates and death 10-14

rates, indicating that fertility and mortality remain 5-9

constant at very low rates]. 0-4

-8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8

13 16

Types of Population Pyramids Population Pyramid Jamaica, 2001

2001 Male 2001 Female

75+
70-74
65-69
60-64
55-59
50-54
45-49
40-44
35-39
30-34
25-29
20-24
15-19
10-14

14
5-9
0-4

-8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8

14 17

Population Pyramid Jamaica, 2011

2011 Male 2011 Female

15 18

3
 11/02/2019

Classification of Populations

Populations may be classified based on the relative proportions in the
young and elderly cohorts
• Generally proportion of population aged 65+ years
 10% or more - old
 Under 5% - young.
• The proportion of children under 15 years:
 Under 25% is old
 and at 35% or more as young

19

19 22

Age Composition of Jamaica in 2001&

Population Pyramid Jamaica, 2020
2011
2020 Male 2020 Female Age Group Number Percent Number Percent
75+ 2001 2001 2011 2011
70-74
65-69
60-64
55-59
0 to 4 years 272,818 10.46 % 209,871 7.78
50-54
45-49
40-44 5- 14 years 570,750 21.89 492,963 18.27
35-39
30-34
25-29 15 – 64 years 1,564,586 60.00 1,777,542 65.88
20-24
15-19
10-14
5-9
65 years and 199,478 7.65 217,607 8.07
0-4 older
23
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5

TOTAL 2,607,632 100 2,697,983 100.00

20 23

Population Pyramid Jamaica, 2050 Comparative age structures 2012:

Male Female Percent Percent 65+
75+ under 15 years years
70-74

65-69 World 26 8
60-64
55-59

50-54
More Developed Regions 16 16
45-49

40-44 Less Developed Regions 29 6

35-39
30-34 Africa 41 3
25-29
20-24
Caribbean 27 9
15-19
North America 19 13
10-14
5-9 Europe 16 16
0-4

-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5
Asia 25 7 24

Oceana 24 11

21 24

4
 11/02/2019

PERCENTAGE OF ELDERLY (60+)IN THE POPULATION OF SELECTED

CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES 1975, 2000 AND 2025
Country 1975 2000 2025
Bahamas 5.9 8 15.7 MEDIAN AGE
Barbados 13.6 13.4 25.2 Country 1975 2000 2025
Belize 6.8 6 10.2
Cuba 9.9 13.7 25.1 Cuba 22.7 32.9 43.5
Dominican Republic 4.7 6.6 12.7
Guadelope 18.5 30.5 39.3
Guadeloupe 8.7 12.7 23.2
Guyana 5.5 6.9 15.1 Martinique 19 32.3 41.1
Haiti 7 5.6 7.5
Jamaica 8.5 9.6 14.5 Netherlands 22.3 32 37.8
Martinique 9.3 15 23.9
Netherlands 8.6 11.6 23.1 Puerto Rico 22.6 30.6 38
Puerto Rico 9.2 14.3 20.7
Caribbean 20 26.5 33.2
St Lucia 7.4 7.8 12.1
Suriname 5.8 8.1 14.0 MDR 30.9 37.4 41.1
25 28
Trinidad And Tobago 7.6 9.6 20.0
Caribbean 8.1 9.9 16.1
MDR 15.4 19.4 28.2

25 28

Classification of Populations Jamaica: Median Age by sex

1970, 1990, 2001, 2011

Problems may arise when a population exhibits both “young” and “old”
characteristics. Sex 2011 2001 1991 1970

The median age allows for a mutually exclusive classification. Total 27.7 24.3 21.7 16.8
Male 27.0 23.7 21.1 16.4
Female 28.3 25.0 22.3 17.9

Jamaica: Median Age by Selected

Parishes 2001 and 2011

Parish 2011 2001

Kingston 26.3 24.3
St. Mary 27.1 24.4 29

St. Elizabeth 28.3 25.6

26 29

MEDIAN AGE(grouped data)

Age Dependency Ratios
• Age which divides the population into two equal-size • Provide summary measures of the age composition of the
groups, one younger and the other older. population regarding population groups who are ‘dependants’
and ‘supporters’ or ‘ unproductive’ and ‘productive’ groups.
• It is located at the 50th percentile
• The working age population according to International Labour
• Median age range: Organization (ILO) is 15 -64 years.
• Less than 20 indicate young population
• 20 – 29 indicate intermediate aged population
• At least 30 indicate old population

27 30

5
 11/02/2019

Dependency Ratio Calculation

•This is a measure of the economic
•Total dependency ratio
burden shared by the working age
population. Population 0-14 + 65 and over X 100

The ratio gives the number of persons Population 15 – 64
in the population who are theoretically
dependent on the working age Barbados 1980
population for economic and social 78.0 dependents per 100 persons in the
support. working age group
31 34

31 34

Child dependency ratio

Population groups
Population 0 -14 X100
Population 15 – 64

• Child dependents- persons 0-14 yrs Barbados 1980:

73,812 X 100
149,041
• Old age dependents – persons 65+ yrs 49.52 ; approx. 50 child dependents per 100 persons
in the working age group
Barbados 2000:
• Working age population – 15-64 yrs 55,259 X 100
184498 = 29.95 ; approx. 30 child dependents per 100
of the working age pop
Source: Latin America and Caribbean: Population Estimates and
32 35
Projections 1950-2050. CELADE, 2002.

32 35

AGE DEPENDENCY RATIOS The Total Dependency Ratio for Barbados

• Child Dependency ratio
in 2000
Population aged 0 -14 x 100 [child] 55,259 + [Elderly] 27,741 X 100
Working age population 15 -64 [Working age] 184,498

• Old Age/Elderly/Aged Dependency ratio = 83,000 X 100

Population aged 65+ x 100 184,498
Working age population 15 -64
= 44.98 ; approx 45 dependents per 100 working
• Total Dependency ratio age pop
Population aged 0 -14 + Population aged 65+ x 100 Source: original population data taken from , Latin America and Caribbean: Population Estimates and

Projections 1950-2050. CELADE, 2002.

Working age population 15 -64 36

33 36

6
 11/02/2019

Adjusted Dependency ratios

Elderly/Old age/Aged dependency ratio This adjustment is made because the average person is likely to find a

Population 65 and over X100 permanent job at around 20 years
Population 15 – 64
Barbados 1980 ADJ TDR = Pop 0-19 + 65 and older x 100
Population 20-64
26191 X100
149041 ADJ CDR = Pop 0-19 x 100
=17.57 ; approx. 18 elderly dependents per 100 persons in the Population 20-64
working age pop.
ADJ EDR = 65 and older x 100
Barbados 2000 Population 20-64

27741 X 100
184498 = 15.04 ; approx. 15 elderly dependents
per 100 working-age pop.
Source: Latin America and Caribbean: Population Estimates and
37 40
Projections 1950-2050. CELADE, 2002.

37 40

Activity 5.1
1.Calculate the total, child, and Support ratios
aged dependency ratios for all of
Jamaica 2011.
2.Interpret your results
• The support ratio tells you the number of working age persons
who are available to support each dependent. It is simply the
reciprocal of the dependency ratio.
• Support ratios can be computed separately for the total , child or
elderly populations.

38 41

38 41

Table A. Activity 5.2

Use Table A to describe
the changes in the age
structure of the
population in Jamaica
1991-2050
Support Ratio Measures
• Total support ratio= Pop 15-64yrs X 100
0-14yrs + 65+yrs
• Child Support ratio = Pop 15-64 X 100
0-14yrs
• Elderly Support ratio = Pop 15-64 X 100
65+yrs

39

39 42

7
 11/02/2019

Activity 5.3 Population Ageing

• One of the most significant demographic events of the 21st century.

• The process by which older individuals become a proportionally large

share of the population – demographic phenomenon.

• Demographic transition – a period of transition from high to low birth and

death rates.

43

43 46

Parental support ratio Population Ageing

• This is the ratio of the number of children who are available to
provide care for their elderly parents without having the
simultaneous burden of caring for their own offspring.
• Population 80+ X100
Population 50-64
• Population ageing began in developed countries from as early as the
1950s and in recent times has become a feature of developing
countries.
• Ageing is an indicator of improving global health.
• According to WHO – the world’s elderly population (60+) is 650
million and by 2050, the “greying” population is forecasted to reach 2
billion.

44

44 47

Demographic Dividend Population Ageing

Country in 2012 Population <15 Population 65+ Life expectancy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZjdt73wdJA

Greece 14 19 80 T 78 M 82F
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpOEHjndywk

Italy 14 21 82 79 85

Spain 19 17 82 79 85

Japan 13 24 83 80 86

Caribbean 27 9 72 70 75

48

SOURCE: POPULATION DATA SHEET US CENSUS BUREAU

45 48

8
 11/02/2019

Life Expectancy SEX COMPOSITION MEASURES

• Gender differences as
• Masculinity proportion
females have a 3-4 year
advantage over men. • Sex ratio
• Women make up a
significant majority of the
older population and
increasingly so with age.

49 52

Aged-Child Index MASCULINITY PROPORTION

• Also known as Age to Child Ratio.
• The ratio of dependent elderly to children in the It is calculated as
population.
Male population in year a X 100
• It is perhaps the best indicator of ageing because of its
Total population in year a
sensitivity to changes in the age composition of pop
(pop 65+/ pop 0-14)*100 50 indicates equal proportions or percent distribution of

It tells how rapidly the population is changing. both males and females in a population.
• Takes into consideration the changes occurring at the Value >50 indicates an excess of males in the population.
extreme ends of the age spectrum. A value <50 indicates an excess of females in the
population.
• Values under 15 indicates a young population
50

50 53

MASCULINITY PROPORTION

SEX COMPOSITION • For most national populations, the masculinity proportion varies over a
narrow range, falling just under 50, unless exceptional historical
circumstances have occurred.

51 54

9
 11/02/2019

Sex composition of population in

SEX RATIO Jamaica 2010
• Primary measure of sex composition.

• Usually defined as the number of males per 100 females :

Number of males in the population X 100
Number of females in the population

58

55 58

SEX RATIO SEX RATIO FOR BARBADOS, 1960 and 1990

• National sex ratios normally range from 95 to 102 except for exceptional Barbados 1960
situations of war losses and heavy immigration 105519 X 100
• National sex ratios outside the range of 90 to 105 are considered extreme. 126811

83.20 males per 100 females

Barbados 1990
118556 X100
128730

92.0 males per 100 females

• Figures taken from population census,1960 and 1990.

56 59

SEX RATIO SEX RATIO BY POPULATION

•Interpretation:
A value of 100 indicates equal distribution of males and females in the
population,
A value greater than 100 indicates excess males in the population
A value less than 100 indicates excess females in the population
SUBGROUPS
•In detailed analysis of sex composition of a particular
population group, either by age group, race, residence
it is best to derive separate sex ratios for each sub
group due to wide variations in sex ratios.

57 60

10
 11/02/2019

SEX RATIO AMONG AGE GROUPS SEX RATIO OF BIRTHS

• Although more male babies are born than female • It is calculated as

babies, the probability of dying at birth (< 1 year) is (Number of male births/ Number of female births) x 100
higher for male children. • In human populations, there are more male births than
• This causes the sex ratio to fall steadily with female births, with ratio generally between 104 and 107.
increasing age. • West Indian populations have tended to show a sex ratio
• The sex ratio is almost even in the early adult years at birth of approx. 103
and decreases further in old age.
• During old age, the ratio is at its lowest as life
expectancy is on average 3-5 years higher for females.
• Men mature slower and die earlier than women.

61 64

Changes in the age-sex ratio for Jamaica Population at ages 0 and 1 by sex in
1943-2010 Jamaica
Age 1943 1970 1991 2001 2010 • Jamaica 2001.
group • Male (0): 26,958

Total 93.7 95.5 96.2 96.9 97.9 • Female (0) 26,029 Jamaica 2010
• Sex ratio at age 0=103.6
Male (0) 20311
0-4 100.3 101.6 103.2 103.7 102.2 Female (0) 19572
• Male (1) 26,759
5-14 100.8 101.0 101.3 102.6 103.7 • female (1)25,969 Sex ratio:103.8
• Sex ratio at age 1=103.0
15-29 87.8 92.8 95.1 96.0 99.57 Male (1) 21223
30-44 97.2 89.1 93.7 92.2 91.04 62
Female (1) 20682 65

Sex ratio: 102.6

60+ 76.2 83.9 84.1 86.5 90.75

62 65

Determinants of the Sex SEX RATIO OF DEATHS

Structure/Composition of a Population
• Affected by relative patterns of
 Births • It is calculated as
 Deaths (Number of male deaths/ Number of female deaths) x 100
 Migration
• However, these patterns must show greater selectivity of a given
•Much more variable from area to area than sex
sex (biased towards M or F) ratio at birth .
• Major wars also lower the sex ratio
•Often well above 100, i.e. males have a higher
mortality.

63

63 66

11
 11/02/2019

SEX RATIO OF DEATHS

Activity 5.4
The population of Saint Vincent Vital Events by Sex, Saint Vincent and the
•Range: and the Grenadines increased Grenadines, 2010 and 2016

High – above 120;

from 55,551 males and 53637
Live Births Deaths
Intermediate – 105 to 120 females in 2010 to 55,739 males
and 53,818 females in 2015. Year Male Female Male Female
 low – less than 105.
2010 904 880 462 380
1.Describe the trend in the sex 2016 857 872 511 374
composition of the Saint Vincent
and the Grenadines population in
2010 and 2016
2. Using the Table, describe the
trends in the sex composition of
vital events in Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines in 2010 and 2016

67 70

SEX RATIO OF MIGRANTS

Son Preference
• It is calculated as
(Number of male migrants/ Number of female migrants) x 100 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISme5-9orR0
•Shows more extreme values than sex ratio of
either birth or death.
• Less uniform from area to area
• Patterns of sex-selectivity of migrants vary
depending largely on types of occupational
opportunities and on cultural factors

68 71

Son Preference
• This is the tendency for parents to prefer male
children over female children
• Where son preference is strong, mortality for girls in the
second to fifth year of life after birth is higher than that of
boys

• Where fertility is high, couples may continue to have more

children than they want as they attempt to get a son

• Where fertility is low, selective abortions and female

infanticide is common

69 72

69 72

12
 11/02/2019

Manifestations of Son Preference The Experience of China

• China currently has an estimated population of 1,323.6
• Female infanticide million persons
• Female neglect [compare with the USA with 301 million]
• Boys being better fed
• Given earlier medical attention for illness • In 2000 the sex ratio at birth was 117 males per 100
• Other favorable attention females

The causes of this imbalance were:
 Diseases that affected more women than men
 Widespread under-reporting of female births
 Sex-selective abortion
 Abandonment of girls and infanticide

73 76

73 76

The Experience of China- One Child Policy

Why are Male Children Preferred over
This is the Planned Birth Policy instituted by the People’s
Females? Republic of China in 1979
• Patrilineal kinship patterns and “social reproduction”
Purpose: To alleviate overpopulation, and social and environmental
• Old age security problems

• Needed to perform certain religious rituals The campaign slogan was “One is good, two is okay, and three is
too many”
• Status
The policy promotes having one child in urban and rural areas.
Note:
The Great Chinese Famine 1958-61
Government estimates 15 million deaths
Unofficial statistics 20-43 million due to starvation
40 million failed to be born.
74 Total 76 million deaths 77

Source: Jonathan Mirsky, 2012. The Great Chinese Famine,1958. The New York Times, Dec 2012.

74 77

Countries China’s One-Child Policy

(1980-2015)
• In Eastern Asia, son preference is strong and fertility low.
• In most rural areas, families are allowed to have more than one
• In China and Republic of Korea -110 boys per 100 females. child, if the first child is a girl or is disabled.

• At least 60 million girls who would otherwise be expected • Additional children result in large fines.
to live are missing due to selective abortions or relative
neglect. • Families with additional children may also be denied free access to
schooling and health care.

• Laws in India and China ban sex-determination testing .

• Need to increase the status of women.

75 78

75 78

13
 11/02/2019

China’s One-Child Policy( 1980-2015): Activity 5.5 Table 2

Country A Country B
Consequences Using
the Sex Ratio 110.0 101.4

With the One-Child policy, the fertility rate in China has fallen demographic Sex ratio at birth 112.0 104.5
from over five births to 1.7 births per woman. indicators in Sex ratio at death 120.0 110.0
Table 2, Sex ratio of net migrants 125.0 98

The long period of sub-replacement fertility has led to compare and Aged to child ratio 28.5 10
population aging. contrast the Child support ratio 30 60
profile of Migration ratio 50 -45.3

Internationally, there has been general concern about human Countries A Population growth rate % 3 2
rights issues and discrimination. and B in Male tertiary enrollment 43.0 20
2016. Provide ratio

China now faces a severe imbalance in sex ratios, so that there is plausible Female tertiary enrollment 42.0 35
a shortage of girls as marriage partners. explanations ratio
for these Crude birth rate 13.0 20
79

Improvements in education and in the economy cause couples to patterns Adolescent fertility rate per 7 70
voluntarily opt for less children. 1000 females aged 15-19
years

79 82

IS THERE SON PREFERENCE

IN JAMAICA ?
Mark Figueroa [1996] –

Male Privileging:
Access to a greater control of resources
Maintenance of a higher status in society
Exercise of greater power
Occupying a wider social space

80

80

81

http://www.mona.uwi.edu/cop/library/male-privileging-
and-male-academic-performance-jamaica

81

14