Finding and using rural aging data: an international perspective.

This article reports on a workshop in which participants identified sources of data on rural aging. Such sources are typically part of larger data collection efforts or special aging studies with large rural components. Finding and using data on rural aging are not only two different processes but they also face somewhat different obstacles and the solutions are likewise different. The workshop addressed both of these issues. Participants shared many innovative and creative means for collecting, finding and adapting more general data sources, and analyzing and using these data, to further our understanding of rural aging phenomena.

Changing patterns of extramarital conceptions in the Czech Republic, 1960-93.

Patterns of reproduction associated with extramarital conception are examined using data on non-marital births, marital births occurring during less than 8 months after marriage, and spontaneous and induced abortions experienced by unmarried women. Trends in the incidence and demographic outcomes of conceptions resulting from extramarital coitus are analysed by means of age-specific probabilities of becoming pregnant outside marriage; and of terminating such a pregnancy by abortion, by legitimating it through marriage before confinement, or by having a baby while remaining unmarried. Substantial increases in the proportion of extramaritally conceived pregnancies leading to non-marital births are detected for the period since the late 1980s, and ascribed mainly to rising levels of unmarried cohabitation. The demographic effects of the post-1989 transition from state to market economy are discussed.

PIP: This study examines the extent of extramarital births, marital births occurring in first 7 months after marriage, and spontaneous and induced abortions in the Czech Republic during 1960-93. Conception rates are estimated based on the Carmichael method (1985). The total marital conception rate fluctuated during 1960-93. Marital conceptions peaked at about 2.6 per woman in the early 1960s, during 1972-75, and during 1987-88. Marital conceptions declined to under 2.4 per woman during 1967-69, 1979-86, and after 1991. The changes in marital fertility followed changes in political circumstances. Political changes had less impact on nonmarital pregnancies. The trend in nonmarital conceptions showed a large long-term increase that rose from 0.7 in the early 1960s to 1.1 during 1987-90. After 1990, extramarital conceptions declined to below 1.0. The extramarital proportion of total conceptions rose in a nonlinear pattern from under 20% to over 30% during 1960-93. Extramarital conceptions were low among women younger than 19 or older than 35. The highest rates of extramarital conception occurred among women 20-24 and 25-29 years old. Extramarital conceptions fluctuated the most among women in their 20s. Extramarital conception rates among women 15-19 and 20-24 years old increased over time until 1987, after which rates declined. Changes in conceptions after 1987 are attributed to post-communist reform. The proportion of extramarital conceptions that resulted in marriage was highest among women 15-29 years old. The pattern of induced abortion follows legal changes on abortion. Extramarital pregnancies leading to induced abortion declined sharply at almost all ages after 1989. Nonmarital childbirth was more common during 1989-93. Spontaneous abortion was low for all ages, with exception of women 40-44 and 45-49 years old. Troughs in induced abortion corresponded to peaks in marital births.

[Twenty-second conference of the Czechoslovak Demographic Society: "The Demographic Position of Czechoslovakia within Europe and the World"]. / XXII. demograficka konference CSDS "Demograficke Postaveni Ceskoslovenska v Ramci Evropy a Sveta".

PIP: This is a collection of short papers presented at a conference held in Prague, Czechoslovakia, in 1991. The focus of the conference was on the demographic changes that have occurred in Czechoslovakia since World War II and their relationship to such changes in the rest of Europe and elsewhere in the world. Essay topics include fertility trends; contraceptive prevalence, including abortion rates; living standards and health care; and changes in the age structure. Some data for selected countries are included for comparison. (SUMMARY IN ENG AND RUS)^ieng

[Mortality of the Czech and the Slovak populations considering historically low mortality rates]. / Umrtnost Ceske a Slovenske populace z hlediska historicky minimalnich mer umrtnosti.

PIP: The mortality rates of the Slovak and Czech populations of Czechoslovakia from 1953 to 1988 are analyzed. The lowest death rates in the country's history were achieved for all age groups during this period. The authors calculate that a significant increase in life expectancy for both ethnic groups will occur in 1988. (SUMMARY IN ENG AND RUS)^ieng

[Regional differences in the number of abortions on demand in the Czech Republic]. / Uzemní rozdíly v úrovni potratovosti na zádost v Ceské republice.

PIP: Induced abortion was an important component of population development in Czechoslovak as early as 1958, when termination of pregnancy was permitted for indications other than purely health reasons. Since then, under the new direction of population policy, a new law was accepted on induced abortion in 1987. The approval of the abortion committee was no longer required, and the right to decide on abortion was granted to pregnant women almost without restrictions. The total number of abortions on demand in a district by district breakdown of the Czech Republic (CR) is presented for the period 1982-88. 2 important tendencies emerged: a gradually increasing level, but also, in the previous 2 years, regional differences regarding abortion. The decrease of the regional share was reflected in the drop of the coefficient variant between 1986 and 1987. There was a negative connection between the measure of total induced abortions in 1986 and the relative increase of abortions in the districts during 1986-87. In 1988, the highest rates of abortion (17/1000) were concentrated in southern Bohemia, northern Bohemia, northern Moravia, and the district of Benes. The lowest rates (13/1000) were registered at the boundary area of Bohemia and Moravia and in the districts of south Plzen and Uherske Hradiste. The number of births in the districts modified the extent of abortions on demand: these were statistically significant in 1986 and 1987, with a correlation coefficient of .909. In 1988, the share of miniabortions in all induced abortions was .005. The number of miniabortions was below average in the districts of the northern Czech region as well as in Prague and Brno. The districts of Nachod, Nymburk, Brno-venkov, and Rychnov nad Kneznou with low levels of abortions also had an extremely low number of miniabortions. In 1988, the incidence of interventions for health reasons greatly varied from region to region (43.4% coefficient variant). In the same year, 10,196 terminations were carried out for health reasons, which corresponded to 9.1% of the total. This was less than prior to the abortion law, when it was about 20%, which meant an average of 14,700 cases annually during 1980-86. After the introduction of the liberal abortion law, abortions carried out for health reasons became more realistic, albeit the great differences between districts (21.5% in Tachov and only 1.3% in Pelhrinov) were more likely to mean that in the statistics of abortions, motives other than purely health factors featured strongly.^ieng

[Selective survey of lifestyle habits within families]. / Vyberové setrení o nekterých zivotních návycích v rodine.

Efforts to influence favourably the health status of our population lead to ever more detailed analyses of the life style and influence of the family on the habits of the young generation. The authors made two pilot studies. In the first one they focused attention on dietary habits and in the second one on the leisure time, incl. physical activity. The results should be applied not only in health education but also in food production and sale, and by the national committees with respect to supplies, the standard of services, transport etc.

[Abortion rate in the Czech Socialist Republic during 1980-1987]. / Vyvoj potratovosti v CSR mezi lety 1980 a 1987.

PIP: The impact of the 1987 legislative changes concerning induced abortion in Czechoslovakia on the fertility rate and contraceptive use is examined for the period 1980-1987 for the Czech part of the country. The results show an increase in the total number of abortions performed as well as an increase in abortions performed earlier in the gestation period. (SUMMARY IN ENG AND RUS)^ieng

[Abortion rate in the Czech Socialist Republic in a regional perspective]. / Potratovost v CSR v regionalnim pohledu.

PIP: Differences in abortion rates in the districts and regions of the Czech Socialist Republic are analyzed for the period 1982-1984. Consideration is given to both induced and spontaneous abortions. (SUMMARY IN ENG AND RUS)^ieng