A social demographic analysis of the sex ratio at birth in China : a county-level study /
The true sex ratio at birth (the number of male births per one hundred female births) is biologically constant and usually ranges from 104 to 107. However, since the 1980s, China has been reporting abnormally high sex ratios at birth. In 1997, its sex ratio at birth was as high as 117. This unique d...
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| Format: | Thesis eBook |
| Language: | English |
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[Place of publication not identified] :
[publisher not identified] ;
2001.
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| Summary: | The true sex ratio at birth (the number of male births per one hundred female births) is biologically constant and usually ranges from 104 to 107. However, since the 1980s, China has been reporting abnormally high sex ratios at birth. In 1997, its sex ratio at birth was as high as 117. This unique demographic phenomenon, its underlying reasons, and its implications are worth our attention. Previous studies on the sex ratio at birth are reviewed in this thesis. Particularly, the patterns and trends of China's sex ratio at birth are presented in detail. In this thesis, 1990 China census data for counties is used. The variable of interest in the study is the sex ratio at birth among Chinese counties, and some social demographic factors are used to explain the sex ratio at birth. Two datasets, the complete 2,420 Chinese counties, and the reduced data set of 2,300 Chinese counties, are used to compare the statistical results. Using both the ordinary least squares regression and the robust regression to uncover the underlying social demographic factors leading to the high sex ratio at birth in China is another objective of this thesis. Four statistical models are tested in this thesis and the results show that the most influential predictor of the sex ratio at birth of a county is its fertility level. The socio-economic development and son preference influence also play a role in estimating the sex ratio at birth. The abnormally high sex ratios at birth have many serious implications for China as well as for the whole world. Social implications such as the future marriage squeeze, social instability, potential migration and prevalence of mental disease are discussed in details. Following the social implications of the high sex ratios at birth in China, policy implications are also discussed. |
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| Item Description: | Vita. "Major subject: Sociology". |
| Physical Description: | x, 89 leaves : illustrations ; 28 cm. Also available online. Issued also on microfiche from Lange Micrographics. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references (leaves 71-77). |