Inanna Eshoo – Write Up
My conclusion
is that Catholic prohibition does not truly have an influence on birth control
use. As shown in the data collected on the charts above, countries such as
Italy with a population 80% Catholic had a lower birth rate (8.94) than
countries such as Madagascar who had 0% Catholics but a
33.58births/1000population birth rate. The factors that had a higher role on
birth control seemed to be how high the country was developed. Higher birth
rates were found in countries with higher infant mortality rates instead.
Madagascar has an infant mortality rate of 46.13, therefore it can be said that
the high birth rate can be seen as a form of compensation. The physician
density in Madagascar is also the lowest as are their health expenditures. All
6 countries examined with higher percentages of Catholics had relatively low birthrates
compared to Madagascar. The Philippines (with 80.9% Catholics) had the highest
birth rate and lowest contraceptive rate use of the 6 Catholic countries examined.
This high birthrate (24.62) and low contraceptive rate (48.9%) could be explained by their high
infant mortality rate, low physicians density, low education expenditure, and
low school life expectancy (only 11 years). Despite the Catholic belief that
contraceptives are not to be used, many predominantly Catholic countries
|
HIGH
CATHOLIC %
|
Brazil
|
Ireland
|
Argentina
|
Italy
|
Philippines
|
Poland
|
|
% Roman Catholic:
|
73.6%
|
87.4%
|
92%
(less than 20% practicing)
|
80%
|
80.9%
|
89.9
% (75% practicing)
|
|
Land Area
|
8,459,417
sq km
|
70,273
sq km
|
2,780,400
sq km
|
294,140
sq km
|
298,179
sq km
|
304,255
sq km
|
|
Birth Rate:
Births/1000 population
|
14.97
births
|
15.5
births
|
17.12
births
|
8.94
births
|
24.62
births
|
9.88
births
|
|
Death Rate
|
6.51
deaths
|
6.41
deaths
|
7.35
deaths
|
10.01
deaths
|
4.95
deaths
|
10.31
deaths
|
|
Infant Mortality Rate: deaths/1000 live
births
|
19.83
|
3.78
|
10.24
|
3.33
|
18.19
|
6.3
|
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
73.02
years
|
80.44
|
77.32
|
81.95
|
72.21
|
76.45
|
|
Total Fertility Rate: children born/woman
|
1.81
children
|
2.01
children
|
2.27
children
|
1.41
|
3.1
|
1.32
|
|
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate:
|
80.3%
|
64.8%
|
78.9%
|
62.7%
|
48.9%
|
72.7%
|
|
HIV/AIDS- adult prevalence rate
|
n/a
|
0.2%
|
.5%
|
.3%
|
.1%
|
.1%
|
|
Health Expenditures of GDP:
|
9%
|
9.4%
|
8.1%
|
9.5%
|
3.6%
|
7.5%
|
|
Physicians density: physicians/1000
population
|
1.72
|
3.19
|
3.16
|
4.24
|
1.15
|
2.14
|
|
Education Expenditures: % of GDP
|
5.6%
|
6.5%
|
5.8%
|
4.7%
|
2.7%
|
5.1%
|
|
Literacy: 15+ can read and write
|
90.4%
|
99%
|
97.9%
|
99%
|
95.4%
|
99.7%
|
|
Suffrage:
|
Voluntary:
16-18yrs
Compulsory:
18-70yrs
|
18
years; universal
|
18-70
universal & compulsory; 16-17 optional
|
18
years; universal
|
18
years; universal
|
18
years; universal
|
|
School life expectancy (primary to
tertiary education):
|
14
years
15
years female
|
19
years
19
years female
|
16
years
18
years female
|
16
year
17
years female
|
11
years
12
years female
|
15
years
16
years female
|
|
Population Below Poverty Line:
|
21.4%
|
5.5%
|
30%
|
19.6%
|
26.5%
|
10.6%
|
|
Unemployment:
|
5.5%
|
14.7%
|
7.2%
|
10.6%
|
7%
|
12.8%
|
|
Unemployment Youth (15-24)
|
17.8
|
29.4%
|
18.7%
|
29.1%
|
17.4%
|
28.9%
|
|
Modern Drinking Water Source Access
|
98%
|
100%
|
97%
|
100%
|
92%
|
100%
|
|
LOW
CATHOLIC PERCENTAGE
|
Japan
|
Madagascar
|
Armenia
|
|
% Roman Catholic:
|
2%
(dominant religion = Shintoism 83.9%)
|
0%(
but 41% is Christian)
|
4%
|
|
Land Area
|
364,485 sq km
|
581,540
sq km
|
28,
203 sq km
|
|
Birth Rate:
Births/1000 population
|
8.23
births
|
33.58
|
12.86
|
|
Death Rate
|
9.27
deaths
|
7.1
|
8.51
|
|
Infant Mortality Rate: deaths/1000 live
births
|
2.17
deaths
|
46.13
|
17.59
|
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
84.19
|
64.85
|
73.75
|
|
Total Fertility Rate: children born/woman
|
1.39
births
|
4.36
|
1.39
|
|
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate:
|
54.3%
|
39.9%
|
54.9%
|
|
HIV/AIDS- adult prevalence rate
|
<0.1%
|
0.2%
|
0.1%
|
|
Health Expenditures of GDP:
|
9.5%
|
3.8%
|
4.4%
|
|
Physicians density: physicians/1000
population
|
2.06
|
1.6
|
3.7
|
|
Education Expenditures: % of GDP
|
3.8%
|
2.8%
|
3.2%
|
|
Literacy: 15+ can read and write
|
99%
|
64.5%
|
99.6%
|
|
Suffrage:
|
20
years; universal
|
18
years; universal
|
18
years; universal
|
|
School life expectancy (primary to
tertiary education):
|
15
years
15
years female
|
10
years
10
years female
|
12
years
13
years female
|
|
Population Below Poverty Line:
|
16%
|
50%
|
35.8%
|
|
Unemployment:
|
4.4%
|
N/A
|
7%
|
|
Unemployment Youth (15-24)
|
8%
|
2.3%
|
45.5%
|
|
Modern Drinking Water Source Access
|
100%
|
46%
|
98%
|
LOW CATHOLIC PERCENTAGE
|
Japan
|
Madagascar
|
Armenia
|
% Roman Catholic:
|
2%
(dominant religion = Shintoism 83.9%)
|
0%(
but 41% is Christian)
|
4%
|
Land Area
|
364,485 sq km
|
581,540
sq km
|
28,
203 sq km
|
Birth Rate:
Births/1000 population
|
8.23
births
|
33.58
|
12.86
|
Death Rate
|
9.27
deaths
|
7.1
|
8.51
|
Infant Mortality Rate: deaths/1000 live
births
|
2.17
deaths
|
46.13
|
17.59
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
84.19
|
64.85
|
73.75
|
Total Fertility Rate: children born/woman
|
1.39
births
|
4.36
|
1.39
|
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate:
|
54.3%
|
39.9%
|
54.9%
|
HIV/AIDS- adult prevalence rate
|
<0.1%
|
0.2%
|
0.1%
|
Health Expenditures of GDP:
|
9.5%
|
3.8%
|
4.4%
|
Physicians density: physicians/1000
population
|
2.06
|
1.6
|
3.7
|
Education Expenditures: % of GDP
|
3.8%
|
2.8%
|
3.2%
|
Literacy: 15+ can read and write
|
99%
|
64.5%
|
99.6%
|
Suffrage:
|
20
years; universal
|
18
years; universal
|
18
years; universal
|
School life expectancy (primary to
tertiary education):
|
15
years
15
years female
|
10
years
10
years female
|
12
years
13
years female
|
Population Below Poverty Line:
|
16%
|
50%
|
35.8%
|
Unemployment:
|
4.4%
|
N/A
|
7%
|
Unemployment Youth (15-24)
|
8%
|
2.3%
|
45.5%
|
Modern Drinking Water Source Access
|
100%
|
46%
|
98%
|
