Final answer:
Stage 2 of the Demographic Transition Model is marked by industrialization and improvements in healthcare and sanitation, leading to lower death rates.
Step-by-step explanation:
The stage of the Demographic Transition Model (DTM) characterized by improvements in healthcare, nutrition, sanitation, and wages, which cause death rates to drop is Stage 2. In this stage, a country begins to industrialize and experiences significant improvements in living conditions. These developments contribute to a rapid decline in death rates while birth rates remain high due to cultural and economic factors that still encourage large families. As a result, the population experiences a sharp increase.