Final answer:
The epidemiologic transition is characterized by a shift in the primary causes of death from infectious diseases to chronic, degenerative diseases. Accompanied by changes in population features such as decreased infant mortality, increased life expectancy, and a reshaped age distribution, this results in a growing burden of chronic, degenerative diseases in population health.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Epidemiologic Transition refers to the shift in the primary causes of death from infectious and parasitic diseases to chronic, degenerative diseases. It is generally marked by a distinct set of changes in population features, resulting in declines in infant mortality and increases in life expectancy. This leads to a reshaped age distribution that skews more towards older individuals.
Initially, both birth and death rates are high, keeping population stable. As sanitation, nutrition, and other health improvements are introduced, mortality rates decrease. With the reduction in infant and childhood mortality in particular, life expectancy increases, and there's also a rise in the number of young and reproductive-aged individuals who can potentially give birth, leading to population growth.
In the later stages of this transition, birth rates decrease along with death rates, leading to a stabilization of population growth, or even population decline, but with a significant proportion of older individuals. This results in a growing burden of chronic, degenerative diseases as a major factor in population health. This trend is common in societies evolving from industrial to postindustrial eras.
Learn more about Epidemiologic Transition