Introduction

Changing patterns of mortality and morbidity: age-, time-, cause- and cohort-perspectives

Throughout the 20th century, and particularly since the Second World War, there have been rapid and profound changes in morbidity and mortality in both the developed and the developing countries. These changes are clearly demonstrated in the values of many indicators commonly used for a general description of both these processes, such as life expectancy, infant mortality rates and cause-specific prevalence and incidence rates. However, if we wish to go beyond description, and understand the reasons for these changes, unique in human history, we need to undertake a more detailed analysis, looking at the effects of age, of time and of particular causes of death, as well as the way different cohorts have responded to the social changes which lie behind these developments. Mortality and morbidity declines are ongoing and ever evolving processes, but there are also setbacks as new causes appear, known causes transform, and inter- and intra-societal violence becomes ever more destructive. Understanding the way in which morbidity and mortality patterns develop is thus crucial, precisely because we have seen that they are amenable to change. If we wish to see this change continue in a positive direction, we need to understand the roots of these developments, as well as the reasons for reversals and their uneven distribution within and between different societies.

This workshop seeks to bring together demographers and other scientists dealing with these important topics, to present and discuss new results and ideas, as well as methods of analysis, and thus contribute to our understanding of the changing patterns of mortality and morbidity and the factors standing behind these changes. We look forward to a fruitful discussion of these important issues in one of the most beautiful cities in the very heart of Europe.

Klára Hulíková Tesárková

Department of Demography and Geodemography, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague

Petr Mazouch

Department of Economic Statistics, Faculty of Informatics and Statistics, University of Economics, Prague

Jon Anson

Ben-Gurion University, Israel