Factors Affecting Mortality Rates

a) Age of person Older you are, closer you are to death MEDCs have higher LE than LEDCs, so lower MR (more people in old age) compared to developing countries but higher than LEDCs because of poorness, bad healthcare, lack of clean water/food, disease, etc b) Gender of person women live longer in MEDCs: diet and low cholesterol rate (less stroke, heart disease) (in the past) men did physical labor, served in war, so women lived longer Technology leveled playing field Men live longer in LEDCs, women have manual labor jobs (farming, work 40% more than men) Abuse, more likely to die during childbirth Boy babies carry on family name; dowry; social/traditional reasons, rituals and festivals, good luck (girl babies killed) c) Location of residence In LEDCs people live in slums, near factories/polluted areas, breathe toxic gases and die Hazard-prone areas, flood plains, hurricanes, volcanoes, tectonic plates (earthquakes) Rural areas, less services (medical, security, lack of clean water/food MEDCs planning to prevent this so safer Evacuate for natural disasters, early-warning system Urban areas (opposite of rural) d) Literacy Knowledge of remaining sanitary (hand-washing to prevent disease) Better job = more successful = provide clean shelter, enough food/water, education for kids, away from crime/violent communities e) Medical facilities Ratio of doctors to people higher causes lower MR Enough medical facilities/equipment in MEDCs lower MR

 Sanitation of facilities means lower MR Better supply/quality of drugs (technologically advanced) lower MR Better trained doctors lower MR f) Shelter Lower standards of shelter (Haiti earthquake) higher MR No electricity/heating/cooling/sanitation higher MR Badly made houses, fragile, cheap, corruption in government bad inspection higher MR Space in MEDC homes, comfortable, less stress = less disease lower MR g) Occupation Less safety in LEDCs, dangerous jobs, physical/dirty work higher MR (primary/secondary industry) Desk jobs (quaternary/tertiary industry) lower MR Unions in MEDCs, protected, fight against unsafe conditions lower MR Less hours, sick days, safety, minimum wage, maternity leave, better ventilation, paid vacation (less stress) lower MR Increase in MR in MEDCs only because of high-pressure jobs h) Access to food Parasites and diseases in LEDCs higher MR Malnutrition in LEDCs higher MR Better nutrition in MEDCs lower MR Abundance of water in MEDCs lower MR Obesity (heart disease, diabetes) in MEDCs higher MR Technologically advanced produce; genetically modified, prevent parasites and diseases lower MR

i) Income levels MEDCs = higher income = afford basic amenities (enough clean water, food, shelter, medical services, etc) = lower MR LEDCs = lower income = cannot afford basic amenities (lack of clean water, food, shelter, medical services, etc) = higher MR