Assignment #3 Magne Nielsen

Spain

Religions: Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%

Birth rate: 10.66 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 3.39 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: 81.17 years

Health expenditure 9.7% of GDP (2009)

Physicians density: 3.705 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

Population growth rate: 0.574% (2011 est.)

Paraguay:

Religions: Roman Catholic 89.6%, Protestant 6.2%, other Christian 1.1%, other or unspecified 1.9%, none 1.1% (2002 census)

Birth rate: 17.48 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 23.02 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: 76.19 years

Health expenditure: 7.1% of GDP (2009)

Physicians density: 1.11 physicians/1,000 population (2002)

Population growth rate: 1.284% (2011 est.)

France:

Religions:Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%, unaffiliated 4%

Birth rate: 12.29 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 3.29 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: 81.19 years

Health expenditure: 3.5% of GDP (2009)

Physicians density: 3.497 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

Population growth rate: 0.5% (2011 est.)

Chile:

Religions: Roman Catholic 70%, Evangelical 15.1%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.1%, other Christian 1%, other 4.6%, none 8.3% (2002 census)

Birth rate: 14.33 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 7.34 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: 77.7 years

Health expenditure: 8.2% of GDP (2009)

Physicians density: 1.09 physicians/1,000 population (2003)

Population growth rate: 0.836% (2011 est.)

Colombia:

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%

Birth rate: 17.49 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 16.39 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: 74.55 years

Health expenditure: 6.4% of GDP (2009)

Physicians density: 1.35 physicians/1,000 population (2002)

Population growth rate: 1.156% (2011 est.)

Bolivia:

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist) 5%

Birth rate: 24.71 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 42.16 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: 67.57 years

Health expenditure: 4.8% of GDP (2009)

Physicians density: 1.22 physicians/1,000 population (2001)

Population growth rate: 1.694% (2011 est.)

OUTGROUP:

Madagascar:

Religions: Indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%

Birth rate: 37.51 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 51.45 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: 63.63 years

Health expenditure: 6.2% of GDP (2009)

Physicians density: 0.161 physicians/1,000 population (2007)

Population growth rate: 2.973% (2011 est.)

Turkey:

Religions: Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)

Birth rate: 17.93 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 23.94 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: 72.5 years

Health expenditure: 6.7% of GDP (2009)

Physicians density: 1.451 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

Population growth rate: 1.235% (2011 est.)

Norway:

Religions: Church of Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%, other Christian 2.4%, Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004)

Birth rate: 10.84 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 3.52 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: 80.2 years

Health expenditure: 9.7% of GDP (2009)

Physicians density: 4.076 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

Population growth rate: 0.329% (2011 est.)

The assumption that countries with a high number of catholic inhabitants would have higher birth rates than other countries is, as the data above indicates, false. This could be expected due to that the fact that the catholic church does not allow for the use of artificial birth control. However, the average birth rate among the chosen catholic countries in this research is 16,16 births/1000 population. Among the catholic countries chosen the birth rate varies from the lowest number, 10,66 in Spain to the highest in Bolivia with 24,71. When compared to the average birth rate among the non-catholic countries chosen for this research the birth rate is actually lower for the catholic countries, 16,16 to 22,09/1000. It should be mentioned that Madagascar with a birth rate of 37,51 is a strong contribution to this.

Furthermore, we can see that in countries like France, Spain and Norway, all countries located in Europe, the birth rates are around the same level, around 10-12 per 1000. These countries also have a high density of physicians and low infant mortality rate, indicating that the health care is well developed in these countries. This we can also see through long life expectancy. On the other side of the scale we can see that the countries with the highest birth rates are located in less developed areas such as Africa (Madagascar) and in South America (Bolivia). These countries also have a higher infant mortality rate and lower life expectancy. These are indicators for less developed health care system and society.

Rather than the assumption that religion and birth rates are correlated, we can see a relationship between health care and birth rates. In countries where the birth rates are higher, the infant mortality rate is higher, and the health care is less developed.

Birth Rates

Catholic nations:

-Italy is 90% Catholic and has a birth rate of 9 per thousand. The country’s infant mortality rate is 3 per thousand. 14% live below the poverty line.

-Spain is 96% Catholic with a birth rate of 11 per thousand and an infant mortality rate of 3 per thousand. 20% live below the poverty line.

-France is 83% Catholic and has a birth rate of 12 per thousand. Infant mortality rate is 3 per thousand. Only 6% live below the poverty line.

-Brazil is 74% Catholic with a birth rate of 18 per thousand. 26% live below the poverty line. Infant mortality rate is 21 per thousand.

-Argentina is 92% Catholic and has a birth rate of 18 per thousand. Infant mortality rate is 10.81 per thousand. 30% live below the poverty line.

-Mexico is 77% Catholic with a birth rate of 19 per thousand. The infant mortality rate is 17 per thousand. 18% live below the poverty line.

Outgroup:

-Afghanistan is 99% Muslim. Therefore there are extremely few Catholics. The birth rate is 38 per thousand and the infant mortality rate is 149 per thousand. 36% live below poverty.

-Israel has a Christian population of 2%. The birth rate is 19 per thousand and the infant mortality rate is 4 per thousand. 24% live below poverty.

-Iran has an “other” population of 2% made up of Jewish, Christian, and Bahai citizens. The birth rate is 19 per thousand and the infant mortality rate is 42 per thousand. 18% live below poverty.

One might assume that nations with large Catholic populations would have a higher birth rate due to absence of birth control measures. However, I listed predominantly Catholic countries in increasing order of birth rate to show that the mere presence of Catholicism does not increase birth rates. If this were the case, we would see a correlation between increasing birth rate and a higher population of Catholics. Instead, there appears to be a stronger correlation between increasing birth rate and increasing infant mortality rate and poverty rate. When there is a higher infant mortality rate, parents are more likely to have more children. There is also a correlation between poverty rate and birth rate, though it is not as strong as that of infant mortality rate. Countries like France with only 6% in poverty have the lowest birth rate of the nine countries. Conversely, Afghanistan has both the highest poverty rate and highest birth rate of the listed nations.

It should also be noted that countries like France and Argentina, despite large Catholic populations, have few who practice. However, for all nations, it appears that Catholic prohibition does not greatly influence birth control use. Instead, factors such as poverty and infant mortality rate play a much greater role.

-Laura Ruchinskas

Birth Mortality in relation to Catholicism

Patrick Rogers:

As you can see in the chart above or in the data below, there is a strong correlation between infant mortality and the amount of medical care available to a given population.  With the exception of Brazil, the majority of the 6 cited nations show a direct response to the number of physicians in a given area and the likelihood of a successful birth.  This means that the original hypothesis, that the catholic prohibition against birth control and that religions prevalence in a region would affect birth survival rates, is invalid.

Italy

Religion: Roman Catholic: 90% Pop: (59,725,000)

Birth rate: 9.18 births/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate: 3.39 deaths/1,000 live births

Physicians density: 4.24 physicians/1,000 population

Brazil

Religion: Roman Catholic: 78.95% Pop: (184,227,000)

Birth rate: 17.79 births/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate: 21.17 deaths/1,000 live births

Physicians density: 3.705 physicians/1,000 population

Haiti

Religion: Roman Catholic: 65.36%% Pop: (10,316,000)

Birth rate: 24.40 births/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate: 54.02 deaths/1,000 live births

Physicians density: 0.25 physicians/1,000 population

Germany

Religion: Roman Catholic: 31.79% Pop: (82,727,000)

Birth rate: 8.30 births/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate: 3.54 deaths/1,000 live births

Physicians density: 3.53 physicians/1,000 population

Spain

Religions: Roman Catholic 94% Pop: (46,754,784)

Birth rate: 10.66 births/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate: 3.39 deaths/1,000 live births

Physician density: 3.705 physicians/1,000 population

Mexico

Religions: Roman Catholic 76.5% Pop: (113,724,226)

Birth rate:19.13 births/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate: 17.29 deaths/1,000 live births

Physicians density: 2.893 physicians/1,000 population

Info:

Religious Density: (http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/country/sc3.html)

Physician Density (http://www.indexmundi.com/g/r.aspx?v=2226)

Other info (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2091rank.html)

Country Comparison

Spain

Religions:

Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%

Population:

46,754,784 (July 2011 est.)

Birth rate:

10.66 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 3.39 deaths/1,000 live births

Physicians density:

3.705 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

Italy

Religions:

Roman Catholic 90% (approximately; about one-third practicing), other 10% (includes mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community)

Population:

61,016,804 (July 2011 est.)

Birth rate:

9.18 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 3.38 deaths/1,000 live births

Physicians density:

4.242 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

Mexico

Religions:

Roman Catholic 76.5%, Protestant 6.3% (Pentecostal 1.4%, other 3.8%), Jehovah's Witnesses 1.1%, other 0.3%, unspecified 13.8%, none 3.1% (2000 census)

Population:

113,724,226 (July 2011 est.)

Birth rate:

19.13 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 17.29 deaths/1,000 live births

Physicians density:

2.893 physicians/1,000 population (2004)

Ireland

Religions:

Roman Catholic 87.4%, Church of Ireland 2.9%, other Christian 1.9%, other 2.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.2% (2006 census)

Population:

4,670,976 (July 2011 est.)

country comparison to the world: 120

Birth rate:

16.1 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 3.85 deaths/1,000 live births

Physicians density:

3.187 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

Philippines

Religions:

Catholic 82.9% (Roman Catholic 80.9%, Aglipayan 2%), Muslim 5%, Evangelical 2.8%, Iglesia ni Kristo 2.3%, other Christian 4.5%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.6%, none 0.1% (2000 census)

Population:

101,833,938 (July 2011 est.)

Birth rate:

25.34 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 19.34 deaths/1,000 live births

Physicians density:

1.153 physicians/1,000 population (2004)

I think that there is a pretty obvious correlation between level of healthcare in general and the birthrate.

Relative to the other countries that I analyzed the Philippines had a lower portion of Catholics (82%). If religion were the sole factor in determining birthrate then it should be assumed that the Philippines would have a relatively lower birth rate. This is so because more people would use contraception in a country where Catholicism had less of a presence. Although the Philippines had a relatively lower rate of Catholicism it had the highest birth rate. That helps to show that religion is not the only key component to determining birth rate. The Philippines had the highest birth rate, highest infant mortality rate, and lowest presence of physicians. It seems like healthcare and wealth is a more influential factor in regards to birth rate.