Fertility levels, trends and differentials in Kuwait

Abstract

This paper examines the levels, trends, patterns and Kuwaitinon-Kuwaiti differentials in fertility, by socioeconomic variables and the major factors that may account for recent changes. Kuwaiti fertility is very high: in 1980, the crude birth rate was about 47 and the total fertility was 6-8 per woman. Childbearing still extends to later ages but fertility in the early and middle reproductive years has declined recently, as a result of the rise in age at marriage and the fall in the proportion of currently married women in the younger age groups. Non-Kuwaiti fertility is consistently lower, with total fertility at about 69% of the Kuwaiti level. This differential cannot be explained by the age structure of the populations alone. Analysis of completed fertility by education and economic activity status indicates an inverse relationship.

Estimation of fertility and mortality of the Kuwaiti population

“…There is evidence that the census data were free from major systematic errors or omissions, apart from the usual errors that occur with age reporting. A comparison of 1980 census data with those obtained from the vital registration system showed good agreement on the level and pattern of fertility, at least for the Kuwaiti population (Kohli & Al-Omaim, 1986). Analysis of the age structure of children under age 5, as well as the age-specific sex ratios of these children (from observed data and frorc smoothed values obtained using the Coale & Demeny (1966) West model life table), provided no evidence of under-counting since both factors showed a fairly consistent pattern (El-Shalakani, 1983b).…”

“…Analyses of levels, trends, and differentials of fertility and mortality in Kuwait were attempted by Hill (1977), El-Shalakani (1983a), and Kohli & Al-Omaim (1986). Some details of nuptiality, marriage customs, social pressures, and economic factors affecting fertility were given by Hill (1975).…”

Coronary Heart Disease Mortality in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia in 1989 and 1990

“…3 In Kuwait, more than one-third (37%) of the current mortality rate is due to cardiovascular disease. 4 It is to be stressed that there are severe limitations in our data, as we have only considered the proportionate mortality ratio. We are not here considering the death rate due to CHD as a percentage of the total population at risk (incidence data), as accurate data on the total number of people at risk in each hospital area are not available.…”