Analysis of the marriage and fertility survey of Yi minority women in the fringe areas of Liangshan Mountain
Pan, X.; Wang, R.; Zhang, P.
Chinese Journal of Population Science 3(2): 157-166
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 1044-8403 PMID: 12317653 Document Number: 327326
Based on data from a survey of 937 Yi women aged 15-64 years in Bianyuan on Liangshan Mountain in Malong and Gaoping Townships in China, this study compared the marriage and fertility characteristics of 1986 to those of 1982. The more closely the Yi live together, the worse their economic and health care conditions are due to their isolation from the outside world. These conditions are not conducive to the practice of birth control. The results show that married Yi women living in fringe areas have fewer live births than Yi women living on Liangshan Mountain. Child survival is similar in both areas. The Yi of Liangshan Mountain believe that high fertility is a necessary compensation for high mortality. Evidence from Yi in fringe areas may help dispel the fears of birth control and change beliefs about the balance between mortality and births. The Yi in fringe areas have better economic, cultural, and health care facilities. They exhibited a postponed mean age of first marriage, fewer early marriages, and lower mortality. Life expectancy was longer and fertility lower as a result of the birth control program operating in the fringe area. Fertility among the Yi women in Bianyuan is 19.85% among the unmarried, 75.46% among the married, 4.48% among the widowed, and .21% among the divorced. Fertility is higher for the married and unmarried but lower for the divorced or widowed than in fringe areas. A higher percentage of 15-19 years old and a lower percentage of 20-24 years olds are married in Liangshan Mountain. 80% of Yi women 20-24 years old who live in fringe areas are married. The mean age at marriage has been slowly rising, and until the 1980s, there was little significant difference between Yi women in fringe or mountain areas. There is as low rate of widowed and divorced women in fringe areas. The mean age of first birth has also risen over time. Liangshan Mountain fertility was 201.12/1000 for general fertility and 7.49993 for total fertility, while for fringe areas it was 85.11/1000 and 2.7738 respectively. This demonstrates controlled fertility in fringe areas. Enforcement of family planning policy is lax on Liangshan Mountain. THe peak fertility among Liangshan Mountain women is 358.38/1000 in the peak age group of 25-29 years, while for fringe areas, it is 236.38/1000 with the peak age group being 20-24 years. Live births/woman are 3.72 on Liangshan Mountain and 2.72 in fringe areas.