title: Understanding the sex ratio in India: a simulation approach.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27516, USA.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hinde
mesh_terms: 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