Population observatories as sources of information on mortality in developing countries

A ‘population observatory’ is a study in which a whole population of a defined geographical area is monitored over a long period (several years or decades), and information on the events that happen (births, deaths, marriages, migration) is collected on a regular basis. This paper presents the collection method used in population observatories, the type of results that they provide, and how they are useful for the study of mortality in the nations of the South. In the first part, the different observatories in the developing countries are reviewed, and certain specific aspects of their methodology are studied in detail. In the second part two examples are presented - the observatories of Bandafassi and Mlomp, in Senegal.cause of death, demographic surveillance, developing countries, malaria, measles, mortality, population observatory, prospective community studies, Senegal, verbal autopsies

Adult mortality in a rural area of Senegal

This study provides original estimates of adult mortality in Mlomp, a rural population of Senegal which has been monitored for twenty years. Causes of death are assessed through verbal autopsies which are completed by medical information. Between ages 15 and 60, male mortality is much higher than female mortality. Globally, AIDS mortality does not have the tragic impact observed in other regions of Africa, and maternal mortality is relatively low for a rural area, unlike injuries which are common among men. In Mlomp, non-communicable diseases, especially cancers, are predominant. In addition to behavioural factors, infectious diseases may contribute to this situation.adult mortality, causes of death, demographic surveillance system, rural area, Senegal, Sub-Saharan Africa, verbal autopsy

The population of the world (2019)

Every other year, Population and Societies publishes a special issue called The Population of the World, presenting an overall picture of the situation across the globe. There were 7.7 billion humans on the planet in 2019. The world population has risen seven-fold over the last two hundred years and may well reach 11 billion by the end of the twenty-first century

France and the United Kingdom: demographic stability on the continent, stop-and-go across the Channel

International audienceIn the mid-eighteenth century, the population of France was four times larger than that of the United Kingdom (around 25 million versus 6 million). In the late eighteenth and nineteenth century, population growth was much weaker in France than in the UK, and by 1918 the two populations were the same size (nearly 40 million inhabitants). The UK population then continued to grow, so that by 1944 it was larger than France’s by 10 million (49 million versus 39 million). After World War II, France’s population gradually recovered, and since the mid-1990s, the two populations have remained fairly similar in size and increased at the same pace. However, recent population growth has been more regular in France and is due primarily to natural increase (births minus deaths), whereas in the UK net migration (the difference between migrant entries and departures) is the main growth factor

Why is French life expectancy increasing more slowly?

International audienceThe seasonal flu epidemics have been especially severe in recent years, but the slower increase in life expectancy may also signal a more long-term pattern of change. Cancers have become the leading cause of death in France, and cancer mortality is declining more slowly than mortality from cardiovascular diseases, which has fallen very quickly in recent decades, thereby contributing strongly to increased life expectancy.Les épidémies de grippe saisonnière ont été particulièrement meurtrières ces dernières années, mais le ralentissement des progrès de l’espérance de vie tient aussi peut-être à une tendance de fond. Les cancers sont devenus la première cause de décès ; la mortalité qui leur est due diminue plus lentement que celle liée aux maladies cardiovasculaires, très rapide ces dernières décennies, et qui a beaucoup fait progresser l’espérance de vie

Le nombre et la part des immigrés dans la population : comparaisons internationales

International audienceThe proportion of immigrants varies considerably from one country to another. In some, it exceeds half the population, while in others it is below 0.1%. Which countries have the most immigrants? Where do they come from? How are they distributed across the world? Gilles Pison provides an overview of the number and share of immigrants in selected countries around the world.The United States has the highest number of immigrants (foreignborn individuals), with 48 million in 2015, five times more than in Saudi Arabia (11 million) and six times more than in Canada (7.6 million). However, in proportion to their population size, these two countries have significantly more immigrants: 34% and 21%, respectively, versus 15% in the United States.La proportion d’immigrés varie beaucoup d’un pays à l’autre, dépassant la moitié de la population dans certains pays, alors qu’elle est inférieure à 0,1 % dans d’autres. Dans quels pays les immigrés sont-ils les plus nombreux ? De quels pays sont-ils issus ? De façon plus générale, comment les immigrés se répartissent-ils à l’échelle de la planète ? Gilles Pison dresse ici un panorama du nombre et de la part des immigrés dans les différents pays du monde.Les États-Unis sont le pays du monde ayant sur son sol le plus grand nombre d’immigrés (personnes nées à l’étranger) : 48 millions. C’est près de cinq fois plus que l’Arabie saoudite (11 millions) et six fois plus que le Canada (7,6 millions). Mais proportionnellement à leur taille, ces deux derniers pays ont nettement plus d’immigrés : 34 % et 21 %, contre 15 % aux États-Unis

Which countries have the most immigrants?

The United States has the highest number of immigrants (foreign-born individuals), with 48 million in 2015, five times more than in Saudi Arabia (11 million) and six times more than in Canada (7.6 million). However, in proportion to their population size, these two countries have significantly more immigrants: 34% and 21%, respectively, versus 15% in the United States. Small countries have higher proportions of immigrants. With 29% of immigrants, Switzerland is ahead of the United States and France, while the proportion in Luxembourg is even higher (46%)

The population of the world (2005)

Every other year, the summer issue of Population & Societies called The population of the world presents a global picture of the world population. The data shown here can be found in the World Population Data Sheet published by the Population Reference Bureau (PRB).Tous les deux ans, le numéro d’été de Population & Sociétés, intitulé Tous les pays du monde, présente un tableau de la population mondiale. Les données proviennent essentiellement de la World Population Data Sheet publiée par le Population Reference Bureau (PRB

How many humans tomorrow? The United Nations revises its projections

International audienc

France 2009: Mean age at childbearing reaches 30 years

International audienceDespite the economic crisis, fertility in France remains high, with 1.98 children per woman on average in 2009, compared with 1.99 in 2008. Age at childbearing continues to increase, and women who gave birth in 2008 were aged 30.0 years on average, versus 29.9 in 2008. Over the last century, age at maternity has become more concentrated around the mean, as the number of large families has de clined. The trend towards later childbearing is common to all developed countries. In Europe, the age at childbearing is highest in the Netherlands, Ireland and Italy