Understanding the sex ratio in India: a simulation approach.
The highly masculine sex ratio in India has increased substantially in the twentieth century, in contrast to most other countries in the world. Competing arguments alternatively posit under-enumeration, highly masculine sex ratios at birth, or excess female mortality throughout the life course as the factors underlying the level of the overall sex ratio; these arguments have not been resolved. Based on population projections that simulate population dynamics, our findings show that small differences in mortality at young ages, persisting over a long period, as well as a sex ratio at birth of 106 males per 100 females, result in a highly masculine population sex ratio.
Griffiths
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Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27516, USA.
Matthews
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Hinde
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D019352:Censuses; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008017:Life Expectancy; D015993:Life Tables; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality; D012737:Sex Factors; D012744:Sex Ratio