BSHS 438 DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS OF AGING PAPER

BSHS 438 DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS OF AGING PAPER

DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS OF AGING

Around the world populations are aging. This is a relatively new demographic phenomenon because for most of human history populations were young and lives were short. Population aging is largely caused by two demographic trends. Most obviously, people today are living longer than before. A second and less obvious cause of population aging is a decline in the birth rate. With lower birth rates, younger generations are smaller relative to older generations, thus raising the average age of the population. There are other demographic processes that affect aging, including migration, but they generally play a smaller role.

This chapter will examine these trends in the United States, starting with improvements in life expectancy and their implications for the individual life cycle. Later sections of the chapter will discuss population aging and why it matters.