Population Trends In America

Data from the Census Bureau tell us that in 2015, there are around 47.8 million Americans age 65 and older, up from about 25.5 million just 35 years ago; demographers predict that in another 35 years, there will be nearly 88 million Americans in this age group. The rate of growth of the “oldest old” population—those age 85 and older—is even more dramatic: Their numbers currently stand at approximately 6.3 million, but by 2050, that number will have almost tripled, to 18.7 million Americans. This population explosion is unprecedented in history, and the resulting demographic shift is causing profound social and economic changes.

The rapid growth in the number of seniors in America and around the world is creating a global demographic revolution without precedent. During this century, advances in hygiene and water supply and control of infectious diseases have reduced the risk of premature death much. As a result, the proportion of population over 60 years in the world is growing faster than in any previous era. In 1950 there were approximately 200 million people aged over 60 worldwide. By 2000 there will be over 550 million, and by 2025, the number of people over 60 is expected to reach 1,200 million.

It is widely believed that the aging of the U.S. population is a major driver of the annual growth in the demand for health care and in national health spending

Like longevity trends, racial trends among the elderly are an important aspect when looking at demographics of the aging population. The growing aging population is also changing in composition. The aging populace is moving to be a more racially and ethnically diverse population than previous aging populations (Ortman & Velkoff, 2014). In 2010, non-Hispanic whites made up 80% of adults aged 65 years or older, by 2030 that percent will decrease to 71.2% of the population 65 and older. It is predicted that by 2050 non-Hispanic whites will make up fewer than 60% of the

According to the US Census Bureau, as of July 1, 2015 the estimated population of the United States was 321.4 million. Of this number, the percentage of people who identified as Black or African American alone was 13.2 percent. There were no estimates for people who identified as Black or African American in combination with one or more additional races. (Population). According to the 2010 U.S. Census, on April 1, 2010 the U.S. population was 308.7 million and out of that number, 13 percent or 38.9 million people identified as Black or African American alone and one percent or 3.1 million people identified as Black or African American in combination with one or more additional races. These two groups combined total 42.0 million, or 14 percent

In America, people are changing their views on aging and the elderly. Some of the reasons that the attitudes are changing could be due to more elderly people are remaining in the work place longer, as opposed to retiring early. Riffkin (2014). And there is the fact that we baby boomers are living longer. Even though the U.S. only ranks 53rd with a life expectancy of 79. That’s an increase of one year since 2010. (“The World: Life Expectancy” 2016)

Demography is the study of the population grounded on various factors such as sex, economic status, age, race, and the level of technology, the level of income, the level of education, employment, and so forth. Demographics are primarily used by the governments, non-government organizations, and corporations to get the adequate information about the characteristics of the population for the purpose of development of policy, and the research of the economic market. On the other hand, demographic trends are also imperative because the demographic sizes of various ethnic groups would change over the period as the result of political, economic, and cultural circumstances. At the end of this essay, the reader would understand demographic trends lead to social changes in the US, its effects on the health care in the US, and how some of such demographic trends would be reduced to drive down the cost of health care (Coulter, 2012).

Population trends have varied greatly over the course of U.S. history, as well as the dynamics that impact governmental and fiscal decisions. The evolution of the age structure of a population and the leading causes of death of that population are key determinants for establishing a plan for future financial sustainability and successful delivery of health care to that population.

The graph shows population trends in Australia and America as a percentage of world population between 1750 and 2000. Asia had a much bigger percentage of the world population during this period than Europe.

The data collected by ecologists about the statistics of the populations of species is known as its demographics (Belk, Borden-Maier, 2010). Population demographics tell us a great deal about how a population is structured in terms of age, size, and density.

In the United States, the overall population is getting older with many Americans living into their 70s, 80s, and beyond. The nation is now and will be confronted with the challenge of preparing to meet the financial demands of a continually aging population. The proportion of the population aged 65 years and older is expected to increase from 12.4% in 2000 to 19.6% in 2030; this is an increase to about 72 million. The number of persons aged 80 years and older is expected to increase from 9.3 million in 2000 to 19.5 million in 2030. Also by 2030, older adults will account for roughly 20% of the U.S. population. By 2050, it is anticipated that Americans aged 65 or older will increase to nearly 89 million people; more than double the number of older adults in the United States in 2010 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2011; Chapman et al, 2006). There are a couple of explanations for the rapid increase in the aging of the U.S. population: one is that Americans are living longer than those in previous decades and, there are proportionately more older adults than in previous generations do to the Baby Boom phenomenon. The “Baby-Boom” generation, the oldest of whom have passed 65 years old, is already beginning to retire. This issue is a cause for great alarm among public health professionals because of the increasing medical costs and financial burden it will place on current and future generations (Chapman et al, 2006). Improvements in healthcare have

One of the most impactful demographic trends is geographical location in the United States. More people are now attracted to living on the east and west coast than ever before. These include Hawaii, California, New York, Florida etc. The population is overwhelmingly concentrated in the coastal states whereas the inner states have a far lower population density. Some reasons as to why people chose to live in the coastal areas are infrastructure, common occurrence and cooler summers. Having said that, the demands of mass tourism and its accompanying enormous leisure-complexes have given rise to a frenetic growth in construction and apparel stores.

The increased life expectancy has created a larger population of the elderly, which is a significant demographic change that the U.S. has begun to experience. It is projected that the increase in the life expectancy will continue to impact the amplified growth of the elderly population in the future. The increased elderly population, has created a need for the U.S. to implement policies that support and meet the developing number of diverse needs the elderly population will require in order to age well. The life expectancy has increased considerably from 68.2 years in 1950 to 78.7 years in 2011 (Chapin, 2014, p. 481). According to the U.S. Census Bureau, currently there are approximately 43.14 million Americans aged 65 or older in the U.S. (Chapin, 2014, p. 481). In the future, the elderly American population of individuals aged 65 or older is projected to reach 72.1 million by 2030 (Chapin, 2014, p. 481) hence, policies and programs must promote economic security, adequate health care, and social engagement for the increasing population of the elderly in the U.S. to support the elderly in aging well. “If policies permit the hiring of part-time workers, and age discrimination is not allowed, older adults can take part in meaningful, productive activities far into advanced age” (Chapin, 2014, p. 473) allowing the elderly to age well and find personal fulfillment.

There are many key factors that have contributed to the aging of the U.S population. Some of these factors include the size and composition of the population 27 years and over in 2012 (The U.S Census Bureau, 2014). Fertility and mortality rates are also determinants of the aging of the U.S population (The U.S Census Bureau, 2014). This means that the mortality rates will determine the size of the population and the rate at which population at the older age declines. Immigration is also another factor, but it has less impact on increasing the population over age 65 as it is shown that most immigrants are projected to be under age of 40 when they arrive in the United States (The U.S Census Bureau, 2014). Age and sex composition have also impact

It is estimated that between the year 2014 and 2060, the U.S. population is going to increase from 319 million to 417 million, reaching 400 million in 2051. The population in the U.S. is projected to grow slower in the future decades, than in the recent past; assuming that fertility rates will continue to decline and that there will be a modest decline in the overall rate of net international migration. One in five Americans is projected to be 65 years of