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Scotland's Population 2005: The Registrar General's Annual Review of Demographic Trends: 151st Edition

APPENDIX 2 — NOTES AND DEFINITIONS

This Appendix gives general notes on some of the data and conventions used in this report as well as providing definitions for some of the terminology used.

GENERAL

— tabular conventions

Where a range of years is listed in a time series table (e.g. 1951-55), the data presented will be an average for this period.

Throughout the tables ‘year’ means ‘calendar year’ except where otherwise defined. By convention, many of the time series presented start at census years (e.g. 1991).

— date of registration and place of occurrence

All the data presented on births, stillbirths, marriages and deaths relate to the date of registration of the event and not to the date of occurrence. For example, a birth on 31 December 2003 which was registered on 5 January 2004 would be included in the 2004 figures. Births and stillbirths are usually registered within the statutory period of 21 days. Similarly, marriages are usually registered within 3 days and deaths within 8 days.

Births, stillbirths, and deaths have been allocated to the area of usual residence if it is in Scotland, otherwise to the area of occurrence. Marriage figures relate to the area of occurrence.

POPULATION

All population figures refer to estimates at 30 June of the year in question.

Throughout this report, revised annual mid-year estimates of population are used for comparing population trends and for calculating rates per head for the period 1982-2000. Population estimates for these years were revised to be in line with the mid-2001 population estimates which were based on the results of the 2001 Census. More information describing the methods used to produce revised population estimates is available on the GROS website.

— population covered

The resident population of an area includes all those usually resident there whatever their nationality. Students are treated as being resident at their term-time address. Members of HM Forces and non-UK armed forces stationed in Scotland are included. HM Forces stationed outside Scotland are excluded.

— age

Ages relate to age last birthday.

— population projections

Population projections for Scotland are prepared by the Government Actuary, at the request of and in consultation with the Registrar General. The latest national projection was the 2003-based projections published in September 2004. Sub-national projections, consistent with the previous 2002-based national projections, were published in January 2004.

MIGRATION

Net migration figures presented for the period 1982-2000 have been revised following the revisions to the population estimates for the same years. Unless otherwise stated, these are estimates of net civilian migration which include movements to and from the Armed Forces but exclude other changes, such as changes in the numbers of Armed Forces stationed in Scotland.

— UK regions

The regions of the UK are taken as Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Government Office Regions of England. A map can be found at http://www.statistics.gov.uk/geography/gor.asp

BIRTHS

— general fertility rate (GFR)

The number of births per 1,000 women of childbearing age (15-44).

— total fertility rate (TFR)

The average number of children that would be born to a cohort of women who experienced, throughout their childbearing years, the fertility rates of the calendar year in question.

— age specific fertility rate (ASFR)

The number of births per individual for a specific age during a specified time.

— cohort

A well-defined group of people who have had a common experience or exposure who are observed through time. For example, the birth cohort of 1900 refers to people born in that year.

— marital status of parents

Married parents: refers to parents who are married to each other.
Unmarried parents: refers to parents who are unmarried, or married but not to each other.

DEATHS

— cause-of-death coding

From 1 January 2000, deaths in Scotland have been coded in accordance with the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (Tenth Revision) (ICD10). Classification of underlying cause of death is based on information collected on the medical certificate of cause of death together with any additional information provided subsequently by the certifying doctor. Changes notified to the General Registrar Office for Scotland by Procurators Fiscal are also taken into account. Additional information about suicides is supplied by the Crown Office.

— alcohol related deaths

The data for 2000-2005 presented in Figure 2.12 include the following ICD10 categories (equivalent ICD9 categories were used for the period 1980-1999);

— expectation of life

The average number of additional years a person could expect to live if current mortality trends were to continue for the rest of that person’s life. Most commonly cited as life expectancy at birth.

— age standardisation

A straight comparison of crude rates between areas may present a misleading picture because of differences in the sex and age structure of the respective populations. The technique of standardisation has been used in certain tables and charts to remedy this. In general, standardisation involves a comparison of the actual number of events occurring in an area with the aggregate number expected if the age/sex specific rates in the standard population were applied to the age/sex groups of the observed population.

— stillbirth

Section 56(1) of the Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Scotland) Act 1965 defined a stillbirth as a child which had issued forth from its mother after the 28th week of pregnancy and which did not breathe or show any other sign of life. The Still-Birth (Definition) Act 1992, which came into effect on 1 October 1992, amended Section 56(1) of the 1965 Act (and other relevant UK legislation), replacing the reference to the 28th week with a reference to the 24th week.

— perinatal

Refers to stillbirths and deaths in the first week of life.

— infant

Refers to all deaths in the first year of life.

MARRIAGES

Civil marriages were introduced by the Marriage (Scotland) Act 1939, which came into operation on 1 July 1940.

DIVORCES

The data presented on divorces relate to the date on which the decrees were granted.

In legal terms the Divorce (Scotland) Act 1976 introduced a single ground for divorce — irretrievable breakdown of marriage — with the detailed reasons as ‘proofs’. However, the information presented in this report on reasons for divorce retains the terminology ‘grounds for divorce’.

ADOPTIONS

The Registrar General for Scotland registers adoptions under the Adoption of Children (Scotland) Act 1930.

Households

Like population projections, household projections are produced every two years, and are mainly used for informing decisions about future housing need and service provision. The latest household projections, covering the period 2004 to 2024, incorporate the results of the 2004-based population projections. They also incorporate information from the last two Censuses, to project trends in household formation by type of household and the age of the head of household. The head of household is defined in the Census as the first person on the Census form who is aged 16 or over and is usually resident at the address in question.

The projections provide an indication of what would happen if past trends continue. They do not take account of policy initiatives, or other factors that may affect future populations. Projections for small groups are likely to be less reliable than those for larger groups.

Household estimates and projections publications are available from http://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/households.

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