Fertility Rates Research Articles

Women's Empowerment in India: State-Wise Insights From the National Family Health Survey 5.

Background Women's empowerment is critical for achieving gender equality and societal progress. Despite various efforts, significant disparities in women's empowerment persist across different states in India. This study aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of women's empowerment using data from the National Family Health Survey 5 (NFHS-5). Methods Data from the NFHS-5, collected between June 2019 and April 2021, were used. The Women's Empowerment Index (WEI) was calculated for each of the 28 states based on four dimensions: economic empowerment, decision-making, health and nutrition, and gender roles. Statistical analysis, including Pearson and Spearman correlations, was conducted to assess associations between WEI and various socioeconomic variables. Results The WEI ranged from 17.4 to 27.4, with a mean of 21.3 ± 2.6. Goa, Sikkim, and Himachal Pradesh had the highest WEI scores, while West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana had the lowest. Economic empowerment was highest in Karnataka, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. Decision-making scores were highest in Nagaland, Mizoram, and Goa. Health and nutrition scores were highest in Goa, Sikkim, and Uttarakhand. Positive gender roles were most prominent in Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Goa. Significant correlations were found between WEI and per capita net state domestic product, literacy rates, median age at marriage, and total fertility rate. Conclusion The study highlights substantial variations in women's empowerment across Indian states, influenced by socioeconomic, health, and educational factors. Targeted interventions are needed to address specific barriers and promote gender equality. Future research should evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions and explore additional factors influencing women's empowerment.

Female Engagement in Asian Workforce: Exploring the Impact of ICT

The labor market in Asian countries has both challenges and opportunities for women to participate in the work force. The aim of this article is to investigate the association of ICT, female education, and fertility with the female labor force participation in 48 Asian countries from 2014 to 2021 in fixed effect model. The results reveal that there is positive and significant association of internet use with female labor force participation, whereas there is a negative relationship between mobile phone usage and female labor force participation which is only significant at ten percent. Similarly, the control variables, GDP and female secondary school enrollment have also positive relationship with female labor force participation. The fertility rate has negative association with female labor force participation. Furthermore, it is found that ICT has significantly affected to female labor participation in Central Asia and South-Eastern Asia. The findings of this article explain that the ICT has increased female labor force participation, their empowerments and returns in the Asian countries. However, it is applicable for the appropriate policies of ICT usage in such a way that it not only increases female labor force participation but also increases the productivity of female workforce. The policy makers should increase the skill-oriented applications in both mobile applications and internet browsers. There should be restrictions on certain applications in the devices which reduce work productivity thereby assuring increase in female labor force participation.

Early school leaving in Spain: a longitudinal analysis by gender.

Spain is one of the eight EU-27 countries that failed to reduce early school leaving (ESL) below 10% in 2020, and now faces the challenge of achieving a rate below 9% by 2030. The determinants of this phenomenon are usually studied using cross-sectional data at the micro level and without differentiation by gender. In this study, we analyse it for the first time for Spain using panel data (between 2002 and 2020), taking into account the high regional inequalities at the macroeconomic level and the masculinisation of the phenomenon. The results show a positive relationship between ESL and socio-economic variables such as the adolescent fertility rate, immigration, unemployment or the weight of the industrial and construction sectors in the regional economy, with significant gender differences that invite us to discuss educational policies. Surprisingly, youth unemployment has only small but significant impact on female ESL.

Determinants of multimorbidity among elderly population in maharashtra, India: Logistic regression analysis.

Population aging is an emerging global trend. Because of decreasing fertility rates and improved healthcare, the lifespan of elderly population increased. Consequently, proportion of elderly population is increasing at an alarming rate. This is accompanied by an increased recognition of the occurrence of multimorbidity and associated mortality risks. So, the purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and predictors of multimorbidity among elderly population in Maharashtra with its variation among socio-demographic spectrum, functional health and health behaviors. Sample of elderly population aged > 60 years were selected to examine multimorbidity and its associated risk factors. Statistical methods such as Chi-square test were used to show the association between multimorbidity and other covariates. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to understand the effects of predictor variables on multimorbidity. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) Curve Analysis was carried out to improve the performance of the classification model by using a modified cut-off probability value. Z scores were calculated to compare model performance in training data and test data. The prevalence of multimorbidity in Maharashtra in training data and test data was found to be 32.8% and 32.9%. Residence, living arrangement, MPCE Quintile, marital status, work status, education, tobacco consumption, physical activity, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and self-rated health of elderly population were important determinants that exert a significant adverse effect on multimorbidity. Prediction percentages indicate that appropriate actions should be undertaken to ensure good quality of life for all the elderly in Maharashtra.

THE EFFECT OF AGING POPULATION, FERTILITY RATES, AND POPULATION GROWTH ON ECONOMIC GROWTH IN INDONESIA

The declining fertility rate in Indonesia, coupled with an increasing aging population and continuous population growth, has become a national concern, leading to potential alterations in Indonesia’s economic landscape. This research delves into the ramifications of Indonesia's aging population, fertility rates, and population growth on its economic growth, employing a comprehensive analysis of time series data from 1961 to 2022. Utilizing multiple linear regression, this investigation aims to unveil the interconnectedness between demographic variables and economic advancement. This study found that the aging population has no statistically significant influence on economic growth. However, fertility rates demonstrate a notable negative impact on economic growth, while population growth showcases a significant positive influence on economic growth. These findings underscore the necessity for targeted policy interventions aimed at addressing demographic shifts to ensure sustainable economic development in Indonesia.

거시경제 및 인구특성의 변화가 수도권 및 비수도권 주택 매매시장에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구

This study attempted to compare and derive the impact on the housing sales market in the metropolitan area and local cities and to present implications in terms of the real estate brokerage market. The Vector Error Correction Model was used as the analysis method in consideration of the time series characteristics and cointegration relationship of the used macroeconomic and demographic variables. The analysis results and implications are summarized as follows. In the case of the metropolitan area model, interest rates, consumer price indices, population growth rates, and fertility rates were the main factors influencing the housing sales market. The five metropolitan city models are the main factors influencing interest rates, economic growth rates, and consumer price indices, while the explanatory power of the fertility rate is very low. Considering these results, housing can be classified as an investment product in the metropolitan area, and local cities can be classified as a housing sales market with strong characteristics as a consumer product. Long-term housing sales are not expected to increase significantly due to the recent decline in investment and real demand due to the stabilization of housing prices due to high-interest rates. The housing brokerage market needs to be developed into a convergence field by combining highly relevant management and consulting.

The Impact of Rwanda's Education on Fertility

Purpose: This study examines the relationship between education and fertility in Rwanda. The main objective of this study is to identify the impact of fertility on population growth in Rwanda Design/Methodology/Approach: This research used the secondary data from the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) reported as the Demographic Health Survey (DHS) dataset spanning 2010, 2015, and 2020 from the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda(NISR). Utilising stratified random sampling, as implemented in the DHS datasets, provides a robust and representative sample for investigating the impact of growth phases on body weight and morphometrics across different age groups in Rwanda. The Logistic regression model was used to assess the effect of education on fertility in Rwanda. Findings: Findings reveal that households with children are significantly more likely to attend school, and non-poor households exhibit higher attendance rates compared to those categorized as poor. Disparities in fertility rates between women with no education and those with higher education underscore the influence of education, with substantial reductions observed over the years. Contraceptive use displays differential patterns across education levels, with higher education correlating with increased usage. Median age of first birth rises with education level, indicating a shift towards later childbirth. The odds ratio (OR) of 0.842, implies that with each unit increase in education attainment, there's a decrease in the odds of experiencing the outcome variable, which presumably pertains to having children. Sex and marital status have minimal influence, with odds ratios of 1.078 and 1.06 respectively. Age shows negligible impact with an odds ratio of 1.01. Conversely, the wealth category strongly predicts having children, with higher-wealth individuals having 3.552 times higher odds. The Research Limitation: Research is limited by the absence of current DHS dataset Practical Implication: Understanding these dynamics can inform the development of more effective family planning strategies tailored to specific socio-cultural contexts, ultimately contributing to improved reproductive health outcomes. Social Implication: Fertility rates exhibit a negative association with education, emphasising the importance of education in demographic transitions Originality/ value: The unique contribution of this problem lies in its call for a context-specific examination of the relationship between education and fertility in Rwanda, incorporating socio-economic factors, as well as the need for longitudinal studies to capture the long-term effects of educational interventions on fertility behaviours.

Implications of an Aging Population on Government Expenditure in Malaysia

This study investigates the implications of an aging population on government spending in Malaysia using the Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) method. Employing data spanning from 1992 to 2022, the study examines the relationship between the dependent variable, Government Expenditure, and the independent variable, Aging Population, while controlling for Gross Domestic Product and Unemployment as additional factors. The results reveal a positive connection between the aging population and government expenditure. As Malaysia experiences demographic shifts characterized by increased life expectancy and declining fertility rates, the findings suggest that addressing the needs of an aging population contributes to higher government spending. This study underscores the importance of recognizing and addressing the fiscal implications of demographic changes, providing valuable insights for policymakers in formulating strategies to navigate the challenges posed by an aging society in Malaysia.

Redefining family structures: Births out of wedlock in 21st century Greece

AbstractThis study explores Greece's unique position as the country with the lowest nonmarital childbearing rate in Europe. The socio‐demographic profile of mothers is being analysed in three categories of marital status: married, unmarried, and in civil partnership. Unpublished data, custom‐made exclusively for this study from the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT), have been used, spanning from 2019 to 2021. Key focus areas include maternal age at childbirth, educational attainment, and nationality (Greek, EU27 except for Greek, and non‐EU). Geographical analysis is conducted at the Regional Unit level (Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics [NUTS] 3 classification). Findings reveal that Greek teenage and early twenties mothers, as well as those with low educational level, are more likely to be unwed, implying that maternity might have come because of an unplanned pregnancy. On the other hand, those in civil partnerships resemble married mothers in age and educational attainment. Non‐Greek nationals show a higher prevalence of nonmarital births, and a sociodemographic profile that implies that unwed maternity constitutes a conscious choice for them. This study not only illuminates the characteristics of unwed mothers in Greece but also provides empirical insights for evaluating prevailing theoretical frameworks regarding family dynamics in countries facing low fertility rates.

Does cleavage‐ versus blastocyst‐stage embryo transfer improve fertility rates in women over 38 years of age undergoing assisted reproductive technology?

Does cleavage‐ versus blastocyst‐stage embryo transfer improve fertility rates in women over 38 years of age undergoing assisted reproductive technology?

Historic Total Fertility Rates of Sri Lanka (1960 – 2021) and Future Trends

Historic Total Fertility Rates of Sri Lanka (1960 – 2021) and Future Trends

Развитие демографического потенциала сельских территорий в целях обеспечения их социально-экономического развития (на примере Новосибирской области)

Introduction. The article considers opportunities to improve demographic potential as a critical factor influencing the socio-economic development of rural areas.Materials and methods. To study the actual demographic situation in the Novosibirsk region and the regions of the Siberian Federal District, statistical analysis methods were used - index, tabular methods, etc. The empirical basis for this was the data of the Federal State Statistics Service, including the Territorial Authority for the Novosibirsk Region, on demographic processes in the Novosibirsk region for the 2010-2023 period (population size, structure, natural increase, migration increase, migration balance, total population growth rate, birth and death rate, average life expectancy).To analyze the implementation of the strategy for sustainable development of rural areas in the Russian Federation, a retrospective method was used, with the help of which the persistence of negative demographic trends in rural areas was shown.To work out recommendations for the development of corporate social policy directions for large organizations of the agro-industrial complex, the authors relied on strategic and systemic analysis methods to identify the potential and develop measures of corporate social policy of agricultural producers in the Novosibirsk region.Results. Consideration of the all-Russian situation regarding the development of rural areas showed that it is necessary to pay more attention to the development of the demographic potential of these territories. At the level of the Novosibirsk region, an analysis of the legislative framework allowed us to conclude that it is necessary to actively attract young people to rural areas, retaining them in agricultural enterprises, providing efficient employment and at the same time promoting the socio-economic development of rural areas.Discussion. Ensuring sustainable development of rural areas is impossible without solving demographic problems based on a regional demographic policy considering the interests of young rural families, and corporate demographic policy implementation at the level of agricultural enterprises.

Reclaiming Power or Reinforcing Inequities: Exploring Egg Freezing Debates on Social Media

ABSTRACT In China, unmarried women are prohibited from egg freezing despite high demand and declining fertility rates. Within such a context, this article aims to examine public attitudes toward reproduction and egg-freezing on social media, with particular attention paid to how these discussions reflect the multi-level determinants influencing decision-making regarding egg-freezing practices. Within the context of Chinese gender ideology, we conducted a critical discourse analysis of 1,437 Weibo posts discussing egg-freezing. Our analysis identified four significant themes: reconstructing romantic relationships and family structures, conspiracy theories and distrust surrounding assisted reproduction, exposing and challenging reproductive policies within a patriarchal framework, and interconnections and stratification among women. Accentuated by the egg-freezing discourse, we argue that current Chinese women’s bodily autonomy is entangled with traditional norms and state control, underscoring the intricate interplay between individual choice and societal dynamics, as well as the ideological contradictions at the intersection of Western technological influence and Chinese societal structures. Furthermore, we illuminate the challenging landscape faced by online feminist movements within such a complex context. Our findings set the stage for shaping future initiatives focused on advancing reproductive justice and empowering fertility choices among Chinese women.

Is anxiety a public health problem among older adults in India: Results from a systematic review and meta-analysis.

For medical fraternity, health system and policymakers to undertake effective countermeasures, a comprehensive assessment of the prevalence of anxiety among older adults is required; hence, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis using data pooled from surveys across the country. The search strategy was developed using medical subject headings (MeSH) terms and free-text keywords. We searched PubMed and Scopus for articles to report the prevalence of anxiety among older adults. The appraisal tool for cross-sectional studies was used for quality assessment. Prevalence from different studies was pooled together using the inverse variance heterogeneity method. Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the impact of included studies' methodological quality on pooled results and to investigate potential causes of heterogeneity. Twenty-three studies were included in this systematic review. The overall pooled estimate of the prevalence of anxiety in older adults was 18.7% (95% CI: 2.4, 38.8). The studies had a high degree of heterogeneity. Publication bias was assessed using a Doi plot which showed an luis furuya-kanamori (LFK) index of 1.21 indicating minor asymmetry. Like other parts of the world, India has witnessed a rise in the number of elderly due to lower fertility rates, higher life expectancies and a shift in illness patterns from communicable to non-communicable. The number of elderly people suffering from diseases of mental health is expected to rise dramatically. This review consolidates the existing evidence to showcase anxiety as an upcoming public health problem requiring due focus from policymakers and health systems.

Predicting Future Birth Rates with the Use of an Adaptive Machine Learning Algorithm: A Forecasting Experiment for Scotland.

The total fertility rate is influenced over an extended period of time by shifts in population socioeconomic characteristics and attitudes and values. However, it may be impacted by macroeconomic trends in the short term, although these effects are likely to be minimal when fertility is low. With the objective of forecasting monthly deliveries, this study concentrates on the analysis of registered births in Scotland. Through this approach, we examine the significance of precisely forecasting fertility trends, which can subsequently aid in the anticipation of demand in diverse sectors by allowing policymakers to anticipate changes in population dynamics and customize policies to tackle emerging demographic challenges. Consequently, this has implications for fiscal stability, national economic accounts and the environment. In conducting our analysis, we incorporated non-linear machine learning methods alongside traditional statistical approaches to forecast monthly births in an out-of-sample exercise that occurs one step in advance. The outcomes underscore the efficacy of machine learning in generating precise predictions within this particular domain. In sum, this research will comprehensively demonstrate a cutting-edge model of machine learning that utilizes several attributes to assist in clinical decision-making, predict potential complications during pregnancy and choose the appropriate delivery method, as well as help in medical diagnosis and treatment.

The Gauss-cos model for the autocorrelation function of fertility rate

Based on the fertility data, we derive a Gauss-cosh model for autocorrelation functions in the Fourier transform space by adopting the mass-point accumulation principle of the Grassmann space to the amplitude-frequency to study the evolution of population in social problems. By using the Gauss-cosh model in the Fourier transform space, a Gauss-cos model for autocorrelation functions is suggested on time domain. The physical interpretation of the Gauss-cos model is also provided that it is a quadratic damping oscillator. Then a new algorithm is derived to approximate the autocorrelation function based on the Gauss-cos model. Numerical experiments verify that the Gauss-cos model effectively fits the autocorrelation function of the fertility rate. After analyzing the numerical results, we detect that the autocorrelation of the fertility rate is described by two major principal phases, which are caused by the public influence and the mother-daughter influence. The mother-daughter influence strongly expresses a periodic regression of the generation.

Research on the Fiscal and Tax Subsidy System of Family Birth in China under the Background of Three Children

With the rapid development of China's socialist market economy, the trend of population aging is obvious, the "three children policy" is timely introduced, and the problem of resident fertility has risen to the level of national strategy. In 2021, the state actively implemented the "three-child" policy, which provided institutional guidance for solving the problem of population aging. In this context, how China should give full play to the economic leverage effect of fiscal and tax law, and guide and encourage the masses to respond to the national call to give birth to three children by economic means, is a very meaningful realistic topic. To study the optimization of the "fertility friendly" fiscal and tax subsidy policy, explore the optimization of the population structure, timely solve the practical problems for the stable development of the population, the fiscal and tax subsidy policy provides corresponding positive supporting measures to encourage fertility. It establishes the policy, delay and reverse the trend of low population growth of China, and facilitate the implementation of the "comprehensive three child" policy. Current our country to encourage fertility fiscal subsidy policy lack of stable source of income, encourage family fertility fiscal subsidy policy function object is not extensive, encourage family fertility fiscal subsidy policy each link imbalance, encourage family fertility tax single, personal income tax lack of family declaration unit, can through to encourage birth to provide adequate subsidies support, in the family for the tax collection, the implementation of differentiated tax incentive rules to change the current situation. Therefore, from the perspective of fiscal and tax law, it is of certain practical significance to improve the fertility incentive mechanism to stimulate the recovery of fertility rate.

Secular Increasing Trends in Female Thyroid Cancer Incidence in Taiwan.

Thyroid cancer incidence has increased globally in recent decades, especially in females, although its trends in Taiwan have not been studied extensively. This study aimed to investigate changes in female incidence and possible causes of thyroid cancer in Taiwan. Using the Taiwan Cancer Registry (TCR) Database, age-standardized incidence rates, age-specific incidence rates and birth cohorts were calculated. Correlation between female thyroid cancer incidence and cohort fertility rates were examined. Thyroid cancer incidence increased in Taiwanese female, with age-adjusted rates per 100,000 people increasing from 7.37 during 1995-1999 to 20.53 during 2015-2019; the annual percentage change (APC) was 5.9% (95% CI, 5.3-6.5). Age-specific incidence rates increased with age, with peak rates occurring at younger ages. The APCs in the 50-54 age group were the highest (6.8%, 95% CI, 6.1-7.5). Incidence rates also increased with later birth cohorts. We observed a significant negative correlation between thyroid cancer incidence and fertility rates in the same birth cohort. We hypothesize that overdiagnosis may be a main reason for the rapidly increasing thyroid cancer incidence in Taiwanese females. Notably, we observed a strong negative correlation between fertility and thyroid cancer incidence. However, our study is limited by the absence of individual-level cancer data in the TCR database. These associations with fertility will be an important subject for future thyroid cancer research.

EFFECTS OF LIVE BODY WEIGHT AND LEPTIN CONCENTRATION ON IRAQI CHICKENS FERTILITY AND HATCHABILITY

This Study was conducted out at the Ministry of Agriculture's Poultry Research Station/Animal Resources Department/Agricultural Research Center. To see how body weight (BW) and leptin hormone (LEP) levels in breeder blood affect fertility and hatchability. 140 Iraqi local laying chickens (120 females + 20 males) aged 28 weeks were used in the study. Following the numbering of females, the birds were grown in individual cages and dispersed sequentially on cages. The experiment was divided into three periods, each lasting 28 days, during which the breeder's live body weight was recorded and divided into two categories (greater than 1.5 kg and less than 1.5 kg), and blood samples were collected at the end of each period to determine the concentration of leptin hormone in the breeders' blood. For comparison between mothers' performance, hormone concentration is separated into three groups: high, medium, and low. The percentage of fertile eggs (FE), the percentage of hatched chicks from total eggs (HAT), the percentage of hatched chicks from fertile eggs (HAF), and the percentage of mortality (MO) all showed a significant increase (p<0.05), and a linear relationship was discovered between the studied traits and hormone concentration levels. Leptin arrived at the best predictive values that reflect reality by computing regression and correlation coefficients and using a hypothetical technique in estimating prediction results. This study concludes that body weight and leptin levels have unknown impacts on hatching fertility rates.

The Dual Impact of Economic Growth and Trade Openness in Explaining the Gender-Gap in Employment: Case of Arab Countries

This study aims at investigating the dual impact of trade openness and economic growth on gender-gap in employment for selected Arab countries in the last three decades. The panel data were extracted from the World Bank Indicators (WBI). To account for potential heterogeneity and non-stationarity in some series, the method of Weighted estimation for Dynamic Least Squares (DOLS) is used. The main findings substantiate the importance of both demand side factors such as economic growth and trade openness on gender-gap in employment as well as the supply side factors like education and fertility rate. The main variable of concern which is the trade openness has revealed as expected a positive and highly significant impact on gender-gap in employment. The GDP growth shows negative and significant impact on the gender-gap in employment, which was in favor of more male employment. Other factors such as education were no more drivers for more female employment but it might be driver for more female unemployment. It shows a negative impact for only young females but it was insignificant for other groups. Finally, fertility rates and urbanization have shown as expected a negative and significant impact on gender-gap in employment which still band more female employment with lack of convenient and affordable child care services.