Comparative analysis of depopulation and aging of population in the Pleven Region and Bulgaria in the period 2011-2021
Information for nursing staff, 2024, 56(3), 26-34.
S. Dyulgerova1, E. Mineva-Dimitrova2, M. Kamburova2
1 Department of Nursing in Surgical Care, Faculty of Health Care, Medical University – Pleven
2 Department of Social Medicine and Health Management, Faculty of Public health, Medical University – Pleven
Abstract. Today, in the 21st century, we live in an exclusively dynamical time, a time of significant changes in all aspects of human civilization, which proceed in unprecedentedly short time periods. A similar process is the aging of population, which is characteristic for the entire developed world. The problem of aging of population globally and the regressive age structure is extremely important and significant, since it will affect the reproduction of population and work force during the next decades. In Bulgaria, a continuing process of demographic aging, which manifests itself in an increase of the absolute number and relative share of the population at the ages above 65 years, more evident in the Pleven Region compared to the rest of the country, is seen. The aim of the study was to analyze and compare regularities and trends toward depopulation and aging of population in the Pleven Region compared to the average rates in Bulgaria during the period 2011-2021. Materials and Methods: An observational descriptive study took place analyzing secondary data from: National Statistics Directory, 2022; Population Reference Bureau (2020); UNFPA (2020); World Population Ageing 2019; National Strategy of Demographic Development of the Republic of Bulgaria (2006-2020); Eurostat, News release, Population estimates. The coefficient of determination was calculated. Statistical processing of data was performed with Microsoft Office Excel 2010 и SPSS v.26 software packages. Results. In the period 2011-2021, a progress rate of depopulation and aging of population in Bulgaria, particularly in the Pleven Region, is observed. Currently, the share of people at the ages over 65 years in Bulgaria is 26.5%; the finding assigns Bulgaria to the category of the most senescent nations in the world. Discussion. The population of the Pleven Region decreases and ages annually, i.e., a regressive type of age structure is seen. At this point, the region is ranked as number nine by the number of its population. According to recent data of demographics, the population of the Pleven Region is 228,300 by the end of 2021. During the ten-year period between censuses (2011-2021) the Pleven Region lost 16.5% of its population. Conclusion. The significant demographic senescence of population during the last century and forecasts for its development face the society with important, inevitable problems and difficulties of various origins, among which the medical-social problems are leading.
Key words: aging, depopulation, public health, regularities, trends
Address for correspondence: Senior Assist. Stela Yordanova Dyulgerova, е-mail: StelaDyulgerova@abv.bg