Unit-2 : Vital Statistics

Definition:
Vital statistics is a science which deals with human beings in general. It is the study of
vital events like birth, death, marriages, divorce, separation and adoption etc. among of
population. The term vital statistics refers to the numerical data to vital events occurring
in the given section of the population.

Classification of Vital statistics

i)Mortality (study of death)
ii)Fertility (study of births) among human beings in general

Uses of Vital statistics

1)To Study of population trend.
The vital statistics reflect changing pattern of population of any region, community or
country in terms of death, births and marriages.

2) Use in public administration

It is used to study the population projection together with birth and death statistics
according to age and sex distribution, which is used for overall planning and evaluation
of economic and social development program.

3)Use in research
It is used in medical and pharmaceutical profession by teacher.

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4)Use in operating agencies.
The data on the incidence of diseases are of most importance to health authorities. To
control the spread of an epidemic, arrangements can be made for inoculation or
vaccination through municipal and local board.

5)Use in actuarial science(Policies)

The vital records are essential tool in all life insurance schemes. Thus, the whole
actuarial science is based on the mortality or life tables.

Measurement of Mortality:-

i) Crude Death Rate(CDR):

Crude death rate is defined as the number of deaths per 1000 persons in the population
of any given region or community during a given period. OR The Crude death rate
refers to the numbers of deaths in a given year for every 1000 people in a population.
Thus the crude death rate is given by
No . of deat h s∈ a specified area∈t h e given period
m= Total population of t h e area∈t h at period
x1000
∑ DA
= X 1000
∑ PA

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 Merits:
1) CDR is most widely used of any vital statistics rates. It is used in numerous
demographic (Population) and public health problems.
2) It gives a probability that a person belonging to the given population will die in the
given period.

Demerits:
1) It completely ignores the age and gender distribution of the population. Mortality
rate is different for male and female as well as in different age groups.

Remarks:
Crude death rates for male and female can be calculated separately.
mD
CDR for males = m X 1000
P

fD
CDR for females = f X 1000
P

Where m D the number of male deaths, f D is the number of female deaths,mP is the
population of male and f Pis the population of female of the given region during the
given period.

2) Specific Death rate (SDR)

Death rates calculated for a particular specified section of the population know as
specific death rate. Various sections may be age, gender, occupation, social status etc.
Virtually very large population is heterogeneous in regard to socio demographic (e.g.,
age, gender, education, religion) , geographic , genetic , occupational, dietary, medical
history and innumerable other personal attributes and environmental factors related to
health.

Total no . of deat h s ∈t h e specified section of t h e population∈t h e given period

SDR = Total poplation of t h e specified section∈t h e same period .
X 1000
DS
= P X 1000
S

Generally the SDR is determining with respect to age and gender.

Age –Specific Death rate (Age-SDR):

Let nDx = number of death in the age group (x, x+n), i.e. number of deaths among the
persons with age x to x+n, in a given region during a given period t, (say)

P total population of the age-group x to (x+n). Then, the age specific death rate for
n x=
the age group x to x+n, is denoted by nmx and is defined by

nDx
nmx = n P x X 1000

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Age- Specific Death rate for male and female:

The age- specific death rate for males is given by

m ❑
❑ n Dx
m
n mx = m ❑ X 1000, wheremn P❑x is the number of males in the population in the age group
n P x

x to x+n and mn D❑x is the number of deaths amongst this population.

Similarly, the age –specific death rate for females is given by

f ❑
❑ n Dx
f
n mx = f ❑ X 1000, wherenf P❑x is the number of females in the population in the age group
n P x

x to x+n and nf D❑x is the number of deaths amongst this population.

3) Standardized Death rate (STDR)

Crude death rate is relatively easy to compute and hence it is used to know the standard
of health of a region. The region in which this rate is low is considered to be healthier.
In comparing the standard health of two different regions or populations or cities or
locations the CDR may not be very useful.
Moreover, the death rates of age groups may be different. The CDR is therefore not
suitable for comparing mortality of two populations. The standardized death rates
(STDR) are the best measure of mortality as they based on comparing death rates of
different age groups.

Method for calculating STDR

i) Direct method of Standardization:
In direct method of standardization the weighted age specific death rate is calculated by
considering the weights as the population distribution of the standard population.

To find STDR of two populations, one population is considered as a standard

population and its CDR is taken as STDR of the population. The death rates of different
age groups of the other population are multiplied by the population of different age
groups of the standard population. Thus the population of different age groups is
regarded as weights. If we want to compare the death rates of two populations A and B
and A is regarded as standard population then

(STDR)A= CDR of A ( CDR in terms of age specific death rate)

∑ mxA P xA ∑ DxA
x x
= where m Ax = x 1000
∑P A
x ∑ PxA
x x

or

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 ∑ mSx PSx
x
(STDR)s = x1000 where A is considered to be standard population so replace A
∑ P Sx
x

by S.

Now for obtaining STDR of population B, the death rates of different age groups of
population B are denoted by X and the population of different age groups of population
A( standard population) are denoted by W(weights), then

(STDR)A =Weighted average (considering population of different age groups of

population A as weights) i.e. considering the standard population as weighted(Wi)
and hence weighted average.

∑ WiXi ∑ mbx P Sx
i x
(STDR)A= = where max and mbx are age specific death rate for population
∑ Wi ∑ x
P
S

i x

A and B respectively.

2) Indirect method of standardization:

In computing the SDTR, it is necessary to know the no. of persons and the age-specific
death rates for different age groups. Sometimes we come across a situation where the
population is classified into various age groups but age specific death rates may not be
known. Hence STDR cannot be calculated. However, the total no. of deaths and hence
CDR may be known. In such a situation, an indirect approach is adopted which
provides an approximate STDR. In this approach, known age-specific death rates, of a
standard population are taken as standard values of age-specific death rates. The
approximate STDR of the population B(considering population A as standard
population) is calculated by the relation.

(STDR)B= (CDR)B x c^ where c^ =adjusted factor

∑ mSx PSx ∑ Pbx ∑ mbx P bx
x x x
c^ = × and (CDR)B =
∑ Px S
∑ m x Px S b
∑ Pbx
x x x

Infant Mortality rate:

If we analyze the statistics regarding deaths, It is seen that the death rates among
children and among older people are more. Therefore infant mortality rate is significant
among various vital statistics. Infant mortality rate is based on the deaths of children at
tender age i.e. within one year of the birth of a child. The birth rate in the under
developed countries is high and the death rates are also high. Infant mortality rate is
computed by finding the number of deaths among children within one year of birth per
1000 births

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 Total no . of deat h s amongc h ildren wit h∈one year of birt h∈a
IMR= given population during given year x 1000
Total no . of birt h s ∈t h e population during t h e same year
For example, among 20,000 children born in a city during one year, 440 died within
one year. Find IMR
Total no . of deat h s amongc h ildren wit h∈one year of birt h∈a
Sol IMR= given population during given year x 1000
Total no . of birt h s ∈t h e population during t h e same year
440
IMR= 20000 x 1000 = 22 per thousand.
Fertility:

Study for Birth

Measurement of Fertility:
i)Crude Birth Rate(CBR)
Crude birth rate is defined as the number of births per 1000 persons in the population of
any given region or community during a given period. OR The Crude birth rate refers to
the numbers of deaths in a given year for every 1000 people in a population. Thus the
crude birth rate is given by

No . of birt h s∈a specified area∈t h e given period

m= Total population of t h e area∈t h at period
x1000
Bt
= P X 1000
t

CBR is simple to calculated and understand. However the no. of female in different
age-groups is not taken into account. The child bearing age for women is 15 years to 49
years. So, if the no. of female and birth rate of different age groups are suited together,
the correct picture of population growth can be known. Hence over and above crude
birth rate,the study of fertility rate, age specific fertility rate, total fertility rate are of
vital important.

Fertility Rate:
The fertility rate of any region during a given year is calculated from the total no. of
female and total no. of births in the region. The children who die within one year are
not considered. The rate of population growth can be known from fertility rate and the
estimate of the future population can be obtained. Such data are of vital use in planning.
Among fertility rates we have to study General fertility rate (GFR), Specific fertility
rate (SFR) and Total fertility rate (TFR).

General Fertility Rate

Total no . oflive birt h∈a specified area∈t h e given year
GFR= Total no . of female∈c h ildbearing age∈region∈t h at year x1000
i
B
λ2
= x1000
∑ ❑f P❑x
λ1

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λ 1, λ 2 = lowest and upper limits of the female childbearing age. Generally λ 1& λ 2 are taken
as 15 and 49. The births to female outside this range is very rare. Thus, general fertility
rate is defined as the no. of babies per 1000 female in the reproductive age.
Generally the child bearing age group is from 15 years to 49 years and rom the children
born; only those who survive up to the age of one year are taken into account. With the
help of GFR we can estimate the increase in the population due to new live births by
women in child bearing age. However, it should be noted that the different age groups
are not taken into account that means fertility in all age group is not same. It is obvious
that the child bearing capacity during the age group 26 to 29 of female is more than that
in the age group 45 to 49. The distribution of women in different age groups are ignored
in the calculation of GFR therefore it cannot give the correct picture of fertility rate.
TFR and SFR are also useful.

Specific Fertility Rate(SFR)

In computation of GFR, the distribution of female in different age groups is ignored.
This drawback is eliminated by finding separate fertility rate for different age groups
for a given region. The fertility rate for age group is known as Age specific fertility
rate. The Age-SFR may be defined as the number of children born alive during a year,
per thousand female of a particular age group.
SFR=
No . of live birt h s ¿ t h e female population∈age group x ¿ x +n ¿
total no . of female population∈t h e same age gro
X 1000
❑ ❑
❑ ❑ B
n x ❑ ❑
i =
n x f ❑ x 1000 , where ni x = age specific fertility rate age group x to x+n.
P
n x

By using this formula specific fertility rates for different age groups like 15-19,20-24
and so on.

Total fertility rate(TFR)

The child bearing age for female is considered to be 15-49. The total no. of children
born to a female of a particular region during her child bearing age 15-49 is called TFR.
If SFR of different age group are obtained and if the interval of age groups is 5, then the
sum of these SFR multiply by 5 gives TFR.
TFR =∑ SFR x i., where .i is the interval.
The TFR may be interpreted as the average no. of children produced by a female in her
entire child bearing age.

Measurement of Population growth:

Fertility Rates are inadequate to give us any idea about the rate of population growth
since they ignore the gender and mortality of the newly born children. Obviously the
population increases through female births. Population growth depends mainly on the
birth of female children . Hence population growth is mainly a function of the fertility
rates of female children. Thus, if a majority of the births are those of girls, the
population is bound to increase while it will have downward trend if the majority of the
birth are boys. Similarly if we ignore the mortality of the newly born children we

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cannot form a correct idea of the rate of growth of the population. Since it is possible
that the no. of female children may die before reaching the reproductive age.

Some measures of growth of population under the following assumptions:

1)There is no mortality of newly born female children till they attain the highest
reproductive age ( 45 years)
2)The current fertility rate is maintained till their highest reproductive age.

The growth of the population of a country or region can be measured by the following
method
(i) Crude rate of natural increase
(ii) Vital Index
(iii) Gross Reproduction Rate ( GRR)
(i)Crude rate of natural increase:-This is the simplest measure of population growth and
can be obtained by subtracting the Crude Death Rate(CDR) from Crude Birth
Rate(CBR).
Crude rate of natural increase= CDR-CBR

(ii)Vital Index:- An indicator of population growth based on births and deaths taken
together is vital index, defined as follows:
Total Birt h s CBR
Vital Index = Total Deat h = CDR

The vital index may be equal to 1 or less than 1 or greater than 1. The value 1 indicates
stagnation in the population growth. A value greater than 1 indicates increase in
population where as value less than 1 indicates a decline in the population.

(iii)Gross Reproduction Rate (GRR) :-Fertility rates include the birth of children o both
the gender. But the population growth depends on the birth of female children. Hence
population growth is mainly depends on the fertility rate of female children.
The GRR is a step in this direction and is defined as the sum of age-specific fertility
rates calculated from female births for each year of reproductive period.
Symbolically, if ❑f Bx is the number of female births to the women of age x during the
given period in the given region then we have
f
Bx
GRR = ∑ ❑
f x 1000
❑ Px
GRR is same as TFR
GRR = ∑ SFR x i where SFR is Age specific fertility rates for females in reproductive
age.

Remark: The computation of GRR by this formula required the following information:
(i) The classification of births according to the age of the mother at the time of
birth.
(ii) The sex of the new born babies, usually such data are not available. In that
case, however an approximate value of GRR may be obtained under the
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 assumption that sex-ratio at birth remains more or less consistent (constant) at
all ages of the women in the reproductive age period.
f
No . of female birt h s ❑B x
Gender (Sex) ratio = No . of Male birt h s = m = constant for every x.
❑B x
An estimate of GRR is obtained as
f
B
GRR = ❑
x TFR
B
NOTE: GRR ranges from 0 to 5
(i) If GRR < 1 indicates the population would decline no matter how the
death rate may be.
(ii) If GRR > 1 indicates that the population would Increase no matter how
the death rate may be

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