Most vital statistics are expressed as vital rates. Let us define this term. When the vital statistics of fertility/morbidity/mortality are expressed as number of people with a state of illness or number of events (e.g. births/deaths) in relation to total population at risk (group of people having certain similar characteristics like age, sex region etc.) is termed as vital rates. This definition of vital rates may seem a little difficult to you, when you read it for the first time. However, by carefully glancing at it again, you will surely be able to understand it.
Although India was more or less similar in developmental aspects with many Asian Countries, vital statistics varied among these countries. How did it happen? It might be due to differential progress achieved by Asian countries through differential emphasis given to one or the other priority areas of development in the recent past. For instance, certain countries and regions have given highest priority for education, health, family planning and infrastructural development. But certain other countries have given highest importance to industrialization and/or agricultural development neglecting social development. In this context, China, Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, Sri Lanka have made good progress in planning and infrastructure . Consequently, they attained rapid modernization and improvement in quality of life of the population. On the other hand, the Government of India gave highest priority for industrialization and agriculture, neglecting the social, development. We have just mentioned these differential models of development which have contributed to differences in several vital events. While many of the progressive Asian countries rapidly brought down their mortality and morbidity rates, India is lagging behind very much.
You may compare the vital events of some Asian countries given in the following Table.
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| Vital events in Asian Countries |
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