Rapid Population Growth Rates Research Articles

Ill-health and health-care in Khartoum/Omdurman

Medical geographies of Third World cities are particularly affected by lack of data of sufficient detail and spatial resolution to allow proper analyses of intra-urban patterns of variation. Rapid rates of population growth fuelled both by natural increase and migration compound the problem of demographic accounting. Khartoum/Omdurman, the major urban complex in the Sudan is no exception to this situation and although some available statistical information from official sources is used to portray some of the characteristics of urban ill health, greater reliance is placed upon data collected during a social survey of seven contrasted residential areas. Whilst the extent of under-reporting of disease and the typical patterns of ill-health become apparent, it is also clear that there are very large differences among the different types of residential area. The gap between rich and poor, manifest in many criteria of social well-being, is also no less acute in terms of vulnerability to disease. It is also evident that although quality of services is generally problematic, something resembling an ‘inverse-care’ situation seems to exist which further exacerbates the disadvantage of poor urban dwellers.

Housing crowding in developing countries and willingness to pay for additional space: The case of Korea

The very rapid rates of urban population growth in developing countries is placing great strain on their housing stock. Housing policies which are aiming at reducing or eliminating crowding are generally based on notions of ‘needs’ and ‘standards of adequacy’ which are more often based on arbitrarily selected criteria than on domestic economic conditions. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the willingness to pay for the additional housing space by households and the validity of target housing standards. The three methods used show consistently that — at least in Korea — the willingness to pay for additional space is less than 25 percent of the value of an extra unit of space, everything else being equal.

Communication and Population Change in Africa

Although Africas share of the world population (10.1% in 1977) is small relative to her geographical size (22.3% of total world land area) her population is among the fastest (if not the fastest) growing populations in the world. Her average rate of population growth was estimated at 2.8%/annum during 1975-1977. This rapid rate of growth was seen to be a result of high birth rates (about 47 births/thousand population/annum) and relatively high if not declining death rates (19/thousand population/annum). It is desirable to reduce the current rapid rates of population growth in most African countries in order to facilitate their efforts at economic development. Communication has an important (even if marginal) role to play in any organized attempt at fertility reduction in Africa. (authors modified)

A new soybean for human consumption in the tropics

AbstractModern technology, especially in animal husbandry, has made remarkable progress. Even with all recent advances in animal reproduction (animal protein), we have not been able to keep pace with the rapid population growth rate in order to meet the demand for protein. This discrepancy in demand and supply for animal protein is even more severe in the tropics. The tradition of producing cereals and legumes to feed animals for conversion to meat (protein) is no longer feasible. Usually, animal proteins have complete profiles of essential amino acids, whereas those of plant origin are deficient in one or more of them. Soybean proteins, however, have about the same nutritional value as those of animals, and it is available for direct consumption by humans at a low cost. Because of the “off” or painty flavor, soybeans were not used for direct human consumption for a long time, except in areas such as China, Japan, Korea and Indonesia. Two major limiting factors for production of soybeans in the tropics are (a) lack of varieties adapted to low latitude and shorter days of the cool season, or to high altitude and low temperatures of the tropics, and (b) lack of varieties that are mild in beany flavor and appropriate for direct human consumption. A cross of the selected soybeans Kahala × Lee 68″ was made at Iguala ISAAEG Research Station. Several lines were selected in the F4 generation with good agronomic and organoleptic properties. The resulting variety has been evaluated from 0 to 40° latitude and in the short growing season of low latitude; results were good. The ISAAEG‐BM2 variety of soybean is mild in flavor, and the heat treatment commonly applied to denature antinutritional factors is sufficient to completely eliminate the painty flavor. Details for the synthesis of ISAAEG‐BM2 variety and the recommended cultural practices for its maximal yield is discussed.

Fertility Control Programs in Asia: Another Look at the Data

The present demographic situation in Asia is described and the current status of fertility control programs is critically examined. As of 1977 58% of the worlds total population lived in Asia where the overall rate of population growth was 1.8% a year. Although several Asian countries seem to have brought their rates of population growth under control the vast majority continue to have population growth rates of 2% or more. The less developed countries in Asia and in Africa and Latin America are all working to improve their economic conditions and raise the level of living of their populations. Yet frequently any potential gains in economic status are wiped out by rapid rates of population growth. Only 40% of Asian governments have policies that are aimed at reducing fertility yet the vast majority of Asian governments do provide some level of support to the provision of contraceptive services. This support is generally given in what can be termed a traditional family planning approach to fertility control. Such an approach is essentially voluntaristic and emphasizes the rights of the individual couple to decide for themselves how many children they want to have whether or not they want to practice birth control and what method to use. Furthermore it is basically a public health approach and views family planning as only 1 component of broader programs for enhancing maternal and child health. Despite these programs birthrates in the vast majority of the developing countries continue to be substantially higher than those in the more developed countries.

Urban earthquake hazard in developing countries: Squatter settlements and the outlook for Turkey

Rapid rates of population growth and urbanization are raising levels of disaster vulnerability in cities located in earthquake prone regions of the developing world. Particularly apt to suffer losses are the great masses of poor who occupy sprawling slums and squattments associated with so many urban centers of LCDs (less developed countries). Major socio-economic factors which intensify risk among this marginal urban sector are examined, particularly as they apply to cities in Turkey, a country stricken repeatedly by major earthquakes. The status of social research on hazard vulnerability in urban Turkey is assessed and recommendations are made for further study.

The investigation and control of a large-scale community outbreak of brucellosis in Nigeria

Brucellosis is a zoonosis, primarily a disease of domestic animals which, under special circumstances, may readily be transmitted to man through contact, ingestion, inhalation, and accidental inoculation 1. The animals that are commonly known to serve as sources of human infection are cattle, goats, sheep and swine. The geographical distribution of human brucellosis is closely related to the endemicity of animal infection, the methods of animal husbandry, human food habits, the standard of hygiene, and other socio-economic activities. 2 Occupational risk of brucellosis is important because of the possibility d (it) rapid population growth rate (of about 2-5 %); (iii) harmful food taboo in childhood and during pregnancy; and (iv) periodic dea th of beef cattle and other animals caused by Sahelian drought in the north parts Of the country.

Health Planning and Population Policy in Africa

Despite common interests, health planners and population planners have apparently different objectives: respectively to improve health and reduce mortality, and to reduce rapid rates of population growth. To the extent that reductions in mortality increase population growth, the objectives appear contradictory. seeming contradiction has been heightened by demographic evidence that post-war rapid population growth in developing countries was largely the result of public health measures which suddenly lowered mortality rates. Population and health planners have agreed on family planning as a common program where their objectives converge, since family planning both reduces births and improves the mother's and already-born children's health. However, one school of thought in the population field maintains that the solution to the population problem lies not soley in family where the health and welfare of the family are the motivating force, but in measures beyond family planning, where concern with economic development and societal welfare are paramount. beyond-family-planning school maintains that individuals want more children than the larger society can afford, that family planning permits the planning of families which are too large. They assert that, in addition to family changes are required in tax structure, housing policy, and female employment strategies if childbearing is to be discouraged (Davis, 1967; Berelson, 1969). premise of this essay is that, despite the apparent contradiction, those in the population field should give priority to improving health standards and reducing mortality in Africa. In Africa, cultural, social, and political constraints militate against a strong public commitment to population limitation. Studies of the public's attitude toward family size (Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Family Planning, commonly called KAP studies) have repeatedly demonstrated that African parents do not have more children than they want (Caldwell, 1968 and 1974).1 In fact, recent evidence suggests the possibility that some African parents have fewer children than they desire, because of subfecundity caused by nutritional and general health problems (McCabe, 1975). African governments at the 1974 World Population Conference in Bucharest generally took the position that population should not be treated as an issue per se, that The Best Pill is Development (Pradervand, 1973b).2 At present, only Ghana and Kenya have policies favoring less rapid growth of population; Nigeria, Tanzania, and others promote family planning on the grounds of health; some countries, such as Cameroon, Gabon, and the Ivory Coast, actively favor more rapid growth (Gwatkin, 1972).

Obstacles to Labor Absorption in a Developing Economy: Colombia, a Case in Point

Historically, for the now economically developed countries, a strong positive correlation has normally existed between rising real output and employment levels. Among today's lessdeveloped countries (LDC's) even high growth rates can, and frequently do, fail to generate a concomitant rapid rate of employment expansion. Indeed, so acute is the failure of labor absorption to grow in step with rising incomes that a recent International Labour Organization (I.L.O.) report on Colombia (1970: 47) maintains “development strategy will become very largely employment strategy.”The unemployment problem is in part due to the rapid population growth rates and even more rapid urban growth rates experienced by most LDC's in the postwar period, and in part it stems from the nature of their development processes (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, 1972: 35).

Recent population trends and family planning activity in the Caribbean

Recent population trends and family planning activities in the Carib bean islands and the mainland countries of Guyana Surinam British Hond uras and French Guiana reveal that the rapid rate of population growth in the last few decades has led to considerable government action to enc ourage family planning and population control. One important factor in this development has been the acquiescence of the Roman Catholic Church authorities despite continuing official opposition. Though socioeconomic imperatives have been the strongest impetus to these activities individual human needs such as maternal health and the problems of the unwanted child have also been important. It is not clear if the observed decline in the fertility rate in the Caribbean since 1960 has been directly caused by increased family planning services but a circumstantial relationship can be drawn between this decline and the development and distribution of relatively safe and acceptable contraceptive methods specifically the IUD and oral contraceptives. The possibility remains that the recent fertility decli ne is only transitory and will reverse itself in the near future.

SOME GENERALIZATIONS CONCERNING PRIMATE CITIES1

Six hypotheses are formulated and tested on the conditions under which primate cities occur. Using worldwide data, it was found that high urban primacy occurs most frequently in countries with small areal extent of dense population, low per capita income, export-oriented and agricultural economies, a colonial history, and rapid rates of population growth.