Population Composition

Abstract

Population composition refers to the combined demographic characteristics of persons within a geographic area. These characteristics create a profile of the population and are the attributes that give a population its particular character. The population composition of New York City sets it apart from Memphis, Tennessee, and Omaha, Nebraska, more so than its size. The composition of an area’s population is useful in projecting the incidence of disease and death as well as health status and health services demand. Two communities of equal size do not have the same healthcare needs if one has a younger, more affluent and racially homogeneous population than the other. Similarly, patterns of health-related behavior such as tobacco use and dietary patterns are likely to be reflections of population composition. (See Chaps. 10 and 11 for discussions of the demographic correlates of health status and health behavior).