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Using standard procedures of demographic methodology, analysts working with mortality data are faced with a choice between large, unwieldy arrays of age-specific rates (or equivalent sets of life table entries), or one or more of a summary measures set, such as life expectancies and standardized rates, which does not retain all of the available information. This dissertation describes the development and preliminary testing of a mathematical model derived from elementary considerations of mortality mechanisms in the life table population. The model as developed postulates a Gompertz specification to account for mortality rates increasing with age among adults. Also, a proportion of the population was posited to be subject to a competing constant risk, to account for the declining mortality rates in early childhood. The motivation for this model is that its parameters, estimated for particular populations via nonlinear regression procedures, might be used as more efficient mortality summaries than those routinely used, without loss of conceptual interpretability. In testing life tables for male and female populations of 47 selected nations during the 1960s, the model was shown to be substantially more efficient for reproducing the original life tables than were any of the traditional measures considered.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1975. / Typescript. Vita. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 209-213).

Thesis--University of Chicago. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 160-165).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1972. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Fertility decline in Zimbabwe has been driven by an increase in the contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR). However, adolescent childbearing remains a challenge. Adolescent fertility increased from 103 births per 1 000 women in 1988 to 110 births per 1 000 women in 2015. The study aims to examine the trends in contraceptive use, unmet need, method choice, and determinants of contraceptive use and method choice among young women aged 15-24 in Zimbabwe from 1988 to 2015. The study utilises six cross-sectional data sets obtained from the Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS) for the years 1988, 1994, 1999, 2005-06, 2010-11, and 2015. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression were used to achieve the objectives of the study. Results showed that young women are sexually active and mostly outside of marital union. The use of modern contraceptives among sexually active young women increased from 39.7% in 1988 to 58.2% in 2015. Unmet need for modern contraceptives declined from 54.1% in 1994 to 41.6% in 2015. The pill remains the most common method used, and the use of injections and implants has also increased over time. The results show that young women aged 22-24, residing in urban areas, better educated, employed, married or cohabitating, with one or more living children, and those with a desire to have more children after 2 years are more likely to use modern contraceptives compared to other groups. Whereas, widowed, divorced, or separated, and women with a desire to have more children within 2 years are less likely to use modern contraceptives. Young women who are married (OR=2.265), better educated (OR=1.590), and have one or more living children (OR=18.411) are more likely to use injections compared to other groups. Women with secondary or higher education (OR = 2.748) and one or more living children (OR= 22.673) are more likely to use Norplant/Implants compared to other groups. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that young women are sexually active and the unmet need for modern contraceptives remains a challenge. The use of contraceptives is associated with age group, residence, education level, employment status, marital status, parity, and desire for more children. There is need to strengthen young women's universal access to family planning information and services.

Thesis (M.S.)--Brigham Young University. Dept of Geography. / Bibliography: leaves 163-166.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Texas State University-San Marcos, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 122-130).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Texas State University-San Marcos, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 122-130).