[Trends and correlates of fertility decline in the NIES].

"Trends and correlates of dramatic fertility declines in the NIES [newly industrialized economies of Asia] from the 1960s to the 1980s are examined in this paper. Specifically, we first look at changes in the fertility effects of such demographic factors as age structure of fertility, age pattern of marriage, and marital fertility. Next, as major proximate determinants of fertility, we examine changes in contraception and induced abortion. We then examine the fertility effects of changes in infant mortality and family planning programs. Finally, by examining changes in such socioeconomic factors as educational attainment and female labor force participation as well as attitudinal changes toward marriage and the family, we seek to infer their effects on fertility declines in the NIES." The data primarily concern Hong Kong, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan. (SUMMARY IN ENG)

Progression to second and third births in rural Jilin, China: trends and covariates.

"Using data from the 1985 Survey on Rural Fertility and Living Standards, this study examines the patterns and covariates of progression to second and third births in rural areas of Jilin Province, China." Factors considered include sex of living children, mortality of previous children, women's occupation and education, and year of birth. (SUMMARY IN JPN)

Japan's fertility: effects of contraception and induced abortion after World War II.

PIP: This report studies the effects of contraception and abortion on crude birth rate (CBR) and total fertility rate (TFR) in Japan from 1947-1980. The CBR declined from 34.3 in 1947 to 17.3 in 1957, and the TFR from 4.5 to 2.0 in the same period. Both stabilized (CBR in the range of 17.0 to 19.0 and TFR at 2.0 to 2.1) between 1957 and 1973. This dramatic decline in fertility was initiated under the serious socioeconomic difficulties of post-World War II Japan. At the onset of the postwar fertility decline, fertility within marriage was controlled most strongly by induced abortion, and to a lesser extent, lactation and contraception. During the period of stable low fertility (1960-1980) the effect of abortion decreased and the effect of contraception increased. KAP surveys show that in the late 1970's more than 75% of contraceptive users in Japan employed the condom, while condom use in other Asian countries is generally very low. A shift from traditional to modern methods of contraception is unlikely to alter the already low level of fertility in Japan but would have considerable social, medical, and economic impact.^ieng

Why do Chinese women practice contraception? The case of rural Jilin Province.

This study focuses on the relationship between contraceptive behavior, family size preferences, and perceptions of the one-child policy among young Chinese women in rural areas of Jilin Province. In 1985, about 85 percent of rural married women with one surviving child were practicing contraception, although most of them reported two as their ideal number of children. Most women with one surviving child, including those with one-child certificates, were practicing contraception in response to the government campaign, while more than half of women with two or more children were doing so voluntarily. Most of the women with one child were using the IUD, whereas more than half of women with two or more children were sterilized. Through multivariate analysis of contraceptive behavior and method choice, additional factors were found to be associated with the contraceptive behavior of rural Jilin women; achievement of their ideal family size was a significant factor in the voluntary practice of contraception as well as in contraceptive method choice. Implications of the results are discussed.

PIP: Data from the 1985 Survey of Rural Fertility and Living Standards were used to analyze the contraceptive behavior of 5399 married women aged 15-60 in rural Jilin Province, China. Jilin had a population of 22,980,000 in 1985, and a high socioeconomic level and educational status. The Survey contained a multiple choice question on why women practiced or did not use contraception. First, ideal family size was analyzed by woman's age, number of living children and contraception. 85% of married women with 1 living child were contracepting, although 2 was their ideal family size. 78% of women with 1 living child, including those on the One-Child Certificate, use contraception because of the government campaign, usually with the IUD; the majority of those with 2 children were contracepting voluntarily, usually by sterilization. 2 multivariate analyses were performed: an analysis of covariates of contraception in response to the government campaign, and of contraception for other reasons (voluntary); and another analysis of covariates of contraceptive method choice for women with 1 child and for women with 2 or more. When duration of marriage was controlled, for women with 1 child, ethnicity and having at least 1 son significantly affected reasons for contraception. For those with 2 children, the ideal family size also significantly affected the reason for contracepting, i.e., whether for government campaign reasons for voluntarily. Choice of the IUD was linked with having 1 son, contracepting because of the government campaign, and acceptance of the One-Child Certificate. Having had an abortion was associated with choosing the IUD. For those with 2 or more children, having achieved ideal family size was significant for choosing sterilization. Having taken a One-Child Certificate did not guarantee choice of sterilization. Thus women may be hoping that restrictions may be further eased, as they were in 1988 for rural families with 1 daughter, so they can have another child.

Living arrangements of elderly Japanese and attitudes toward inheritance.

Using data from the 1988 Mainichi Newspaper/Nihon University National Family Survey, we analyzed the living arrangements and attitudes toward inheritance of Japanese aged 60 and over. Logit analysis indicates that living arrangements are influenced by gender, age, marital status, education, urban residence, and number of living children. Log-linear modeling of inheritance attitudes shows that living with married children, lower educational attainment, and living in a traditionally agricultural area are associated with favoring bequests to eldest sons, as opposed to bequests to all children equally or to whoever takes care of the elderly person. The results are consistent with modernization theory of gerontology and convergence theory of family sociology in that elderly persons with more "modern" characteristics are more likely to depart from prewar ideals of living with married children and preferring bequests to eldest sons only.

Health status of the elderly and their labor force participation in the developing countries along the Asia-Pacific rim.

The authors examine the health status and labor force participation of and support systems for the elderly in developing countries in east, Southeast, and south Asia and compare them with Western norms. They find that "there are numerous psychological and emotional elements involved in institutionalizing support for the elderly, and the marked differences in social and cultural factors between the Asian countries and Western industrialized nations make it difficult for the former to use...old-age support systems prevailing in the latter as a model." (SUMMARY IN KOR)