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This paper attempts to give an overview of current levels of child mortality prevailing in the world. It also examines trends and socioeconomic differentials in child mortality for selected countries and regions of the world. Lastly it reviews data on causes of child death and related environmental factors. The paper concludes that despite the fact that child deaths are frequently avoidable, mortality differentials between the developed and developing regions of the world are more pronounced in childhood (ages one to under five years) than at any other time of life. While some developing countries have substantially reduced the level of mortality in childhood, in others it remains very high. In contrast, in most developed countries child death rates are now so low, that they no longer serve as useful measures of public health.

Characteristics of family and household structure are examined in this paper to shed light on an important aspect of the life conditions of older persons in countries at different levels of development. Using various measures, both direct and indirect, the analysis showed the existence of a nuclear household as a predominant family form. Extended household families are more common in Asian countries, especially India, than in other regions for which data are available. While available cross-national data do not enable us to assess the extent to which older persons reside in households with their children, headship rates indicate that the majority of male older persons continue to maintain their position as heads of households in later life and that female headship increases with age. This is confirmed by analysis of data on marital status, which show higher proportions of males currently married than for females and sharply higher widowhood levels for females. Marriage at older ages seems to be relatively low. A general trend within most developed countries is toward increasing independent living, especially for females, and a sharp decline in both males and females living in a household with relatives.