Week 2 Discussion - Essay Example

Running Head: Crude Mortality Rate in Haiti Factors behind Low Crude Mortality Rate of Haiti as compared with CMR in US ’s Name]Factors behind Low Crude Mortality Rate of Haiti as compared with CMR in US The third largest country of Caribbean and the second largest Island in the Greater Antilles, Haiti is marked with least level of economic growth among the countries of Latin America (Deibert, 2005). With high prevalence rate of HIV AIDS, the country faces many serious challenges in healthcare sector due to which the crude death rate of the country used to be very high.

However, it is found that in the year 2000 the crude mortality rate of Haiti became 6 per 1000 people that was much lower than the CMR of United States which was 10.4 deaths per 1000 person. The following discussion aims to identify the factors that act as reason behind the difference in the crude mortality rate of these countries. There are certain important factors that determine the difference between the crude mortality rates in different countries. These factors include the average age and structure of the population, the quality and standard of healthcare facilities, diet, nutrition and the level and prevalence of infectious diseases (Farmer, 2003).

In case of Haiti and US, there is an obvious difference in the economic development level of both the countries and due to low economic position, the population of Haiti has little access of quality healthcare and safe drinking water. The prevalence rate of HIV AIDS and other infectious diseases is also very high in Haiti as compared with that of US (Robert and Nancy, 1996). The serious situation of healthcare in Haiti caught the attention of world community and there are some important initiatives taken by the international health organizations in collaboration with the government of Haiti that are intended to improve the healthcare situation through the training of healthcare professionals and creating awareness among people (Deibert, 2005).

The improvement in the level of the healthcare has the tendency to affect the crude mortality rate of a country. The interventions of United Nations brought significant level of changes in the healthcare situation of Haiti. Though the poor and densely populated country Haiti still needs lot of work in the field of healthcare (Deibert, 2005) but it is observed that the improvements in the healthcare facilities and awareness in people reduced the number of deaths and the crude mortality rate in Haiti became as low as 6 deaths per 1000 in 2000.

On the other hand, in United States there is change observed in the age structure of the population that is also among the important factors determining the crude death rate. The rate of the younger population is declining in USA, whereas, the proportion of the elderly people is rising due to the decreasing birth rate (U.S. Census Bureau, 2008). The increase in the number of people aged more then 40, 50 and 60 is an important reason that takes the crude mortality rate in US at comparatively high level.

Thus, it is found that there are different factors that work for creating difference in the crude mortality rates between the countries. In the case of US and Haiti, it is found that there are some important factors that are responsible for creating this difference. The changing population structure of United States is considerably changing (U.S. Census Bureau, 2008) that takes the crude mortality rate of the country towards a high level, whereas the relatively improved situation of healthcare and public awareness in Haiti worked for minimizing the crude mortality rate in Haiti.

ReferencesDeibert, M. (2005). Notes from the Last Testament: The Struggle for Haiti. Seven Stories Press, New York.Farmer, P. (2003). Pathologies of Power: Health, Human Rights, and the New War on the Poor. Berkeley: University of California Press.Robert Debs Heinl and Nancy Gordon Heinl (1996). Written in Blood: The Story of the Haitian People 1492-1995. Lanham, MD: University Press of America. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division (2008). Online at: http://www.census.gov/population/www/pop-profile/natproj.html