2010s in health and society

This article is a summary of developments in health and society during the 2010s

Ageing population

edit
 
Percentage of world population over 65

The 2010s was the decade in which most baby boomers (described as individuals born between 1946 and 1964, an era which had seen an increase in birth rates in many parts of the world, as economies recovered and vast numbers of predominantly younger men were demobilised or released from captivity after the Second World War) in developed nations retired, putting pressure on pension programs and other safety net programs. Many countries reported declining fertility rates in their 2010 censuses.[1] The consequences of an aging society were felt hardest in Europe and Japan, which were the first to experience substantial population decline.[2][3]

Over 20% of Japan's population was over the age of 65, making it the most elderly nation.[4] As a result, Japan examined alternative solutions for elder care, including robots.[5][6] In the United States, proposals for revising Medicare and Social Security proliferated, including raising the age of retirement or adjusting benefit amounts. Opponents instead wanted to increase benefit levels.[7][8][9][10][11] In 2010, France debated and raised the retirement age from 60 to 62, despite widespread demonstrations in opposition.[12] A few years later the threshold was lowered back to 60.[13] By 2017, many countries were planning to raise their retirement age to 67+ over the coming years.[14]

Gender relations

edit

Fourth-wave feminism was claimed to have started around 2013. An especially notable feature of it was that of intersectionality, which argued that women's experiences differed radically based on the impact of their other identities, such as class, ethnicity or sexual orientation.[15] The Me Too movement spread as a protest against sexual harassment, especially in professional settings.

An antifeminist backlash also occurred.[16] This was especially prevalent in the online manosphere,[17] such as in the men's rights movement as well as in more exclusionary communities such as incels and Men Going Their Own Way. Misogynist ideologies were also linked to violent attacks against women, with notable examples in the United States being the 2014 Isla Vista killings[18] and the 2018 Tallahassee shooting.[19]

Environmentalism

edit

During the course of the decade, climate change was a growing topic of concern, with more than half of the global population viewing it as a "very serious problem" in 2015 and giving broad support for limits on greenhouse gas emissions to address the issue.[20] Concerns over plastic pollution grew considerably, with the effects of plastic waste on the Earth's environment gaining global awareness particularly in the second half of the decade. In 2012, it was estimated that there was approximately 165 million tons of plastic pollution in the world's oceans.[21] Plastic waste minimisation initiatives were launched around the world, with bans on various plastic products, ranging from plastic bags and straws to plastic cutlery.[22] Plastic pollution was linked to climate change, with a 2019 report warning that by 2050, plastic could emit 56 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions, as much as 14 percent of the Earth's remaining carbon budget.[23]

Threats to biodiversity also gained greater awareness. In its first report since 2005, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) warned in May 2019 that biodiversity loss was "accelerating", with over a million species threatened with extinction.[24][25]

Renewable energies enjoyed a surge in popularity, due to lower costs and increased efficiency, receiving more investment than traditional fossil fuels.[26] In 2015, Hawaii became the first state in the United States to formally commit to a plan of developing a 100% clean energy grid.[27] In 2018, California's state commission approved a plan requiring solar panels for all residential buildings starting in 2020.[28] In China, as pollution reached critical levels, the government began investing in clean energies to improve the air quality.[29]

Greta Thunberg inspired a global movement of young people protesting inaction on climate change with truancy. A concurrent movement, the Extinction Rebellion, used more extreme non-violent methods for the same cause. In the 2019 European Parliament elections, green parties won a record number of seats.[30] In the United States, the proposed Green New Deal rose in prominence.

LGBT rights

edit
 
Plaintiffs celebrate outside the Supreme Court on 26 June 2015 following same-sex marriage legalization in the United States nationwide.

During the 2010s, acceptance of LGBT people gradually increased in many parts of the world.[31][32] Marriage for same-sex couples was an ongoing debate in many nations, while over eighteen nations legalized same-sex marriage.[33][34]

In June 2011 the United Nations Human Rights Council passed the UN's first-ever motion condemning discrimination against gays, lesbians and bisexuals commissioning a report on the issue.[35] During an ABC News interview in 2012, Barack Obama expressed his support for gay marriage, becoming the first U.S. president to openly do so.[36] Although many nations allowed gays and bisexuals to serve in their militaries, a major milestone came in September 2011 when the U.S. abolished its "Don't ask, don't tell" military policy.[37][38] In August 2013, New Zealand became the first country in Oceania to allow same-sex couples to marry.[39]

In 2015, Ireland became the first nation to legalize same-sex marriage via referendum.[40] In 2017, Leo Varadkar became Ireland's first openly gay Taoiseach,[41] joining the ranks of other nation's first openly gay and lesbian heads of state in the 2010s. In May 2019, Taiwan became the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage.[42] Botswana decriminalized homosexuality in June 2019[43] while Ecuador legalized same-sex marriage that same month.[44] Transgender issues asserted themselves as a mainstream LGBT topic in the 2010s, particularly in the West. In the United States, organizations such as the Girl Scouts[45] and the Episcopal Church announced acceptance of transgender people in the early half of the 2010s.[46] In April 2015, former olympic athlete Caitlyn Jenner came out as a transgender woman, and was subsequently called the most famous openly transgender person in the world at the time.[47]

However, LGBT rights supporters continued to face legal obstacles with the implementation of laws curbing expression of homosexuality in Russia and China,[48][49][50] as well as in the United States, with the Trump administration's attempts to reinstate the ban on transgender people serving in the military and the rescission of protections for transgender students.[51][52] On 24 May 2019, Kenya's Supreme Court upheld laws that criminalize gay sex, declining to join the handful of nations that had recently abolished a prohibition imposed by Britain during the colonial era. By 2019, more than 70 countries continued to have gay sex criminalized, most of them Muslim-majority countries or former British colonies, according to advocacy groups.[53]

Children and youth

edit
 
Video streaming services such as YouTube and free or relatively cheap mobile games became popular forms of entertainment for small children during the 2010s.[54][55][56]

By the 2010s, younger people in many parts of the world had been surrounded by widespread internet use for their entire lives.[57] The psychological effects of social media and the internet on the minds of young people, especially children, became an increasing concern during this decade.[58][59]

The youth of the 2010s were called the "best-behaved generation on record." In May 2014, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control reported that teenage pregnancies and their uses of drugs and alcohol reached record lows.[60] A 2013 survey showed that the rate of teen smoking dropped to 15.7%, the rate of teenagers having unprotected sex dropped to 34% and the rate of teenagers participating in a physical fight dropped to 25%, much lower than their counterparts 22 years earlier.[61] E-cigarette and smokeless tobacco use among teenagers rose.[62] Similar trends were noted elsewhere, a report looking at statistics from 2018-19 noted that the levels of adolescents aged ten to seventeen in England and Wales being cautioned or sentenced for criminal activity had fallen by 83% over the previous decade, whilst the numbers entering the youth justice system for the first time had fallen by 85%.[63] Whilst, research from Australia suggested that crime rates among that age group had declined throughout the 2010s.[64]

E-cigarettes

edit

The e-cigarette gained popularity within the 2010s, with the number of vapers worldwide increasing from approximately 7 million in 2011 to 41 million in 2018.[65] The JUUL e-cigarette became the most popular e-cigarette in the U.S. in 2017 with a market share of over 72%,[66] and Altria became the most valuable e-cigarette company in the world by 2018.[67] Many cities across the United States started to take action in response to the spike of use by young people in middle and high schools. In 2019, San Francisco became the 1st city in the United States to ban the sale of e-cigarettes altogether.[68]

Disease

edit

Epidemics

edit
Event Date Description
West African Ebola virus epidemic December 2013 – June 2016 An outbreak of the Ebola virus, the worst of its kind in history, killed more than 11,300 people in West Africa.[69] In August 2014, the World Health Organization declared it a public health emergency of international concern. On 14 January 2016, the WHO declared the epidemic to be over, despite continuing small flare-ups at the time.[70]
Zika virus epidemic April 2015 – November 2016 A zika virus spreads rapidly throughout Latin America,[71] with imported cases being reported worldwide.[72][73]
Middle East respiratory syndrome outbreak in South Korea May–July 2015 An outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome in South Korea caused over thirty deaths. Thousands were quarantined.[74]
2018–20 Kivu Ebola epidemic August 2018 – June 2020 A second Ebola outbreak began in August 2018 in the eastern region of Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On 3 May 2019, nine months into the outbreak, the DRC outbreak surpassed 1,000 deaths. By June 2019, 2,426 people had died and the virus had spread to neighboring Uganda, becoming an epidemic; the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on 17 July.[75][76]

Pandemics

edit
Event Date Infections and deaths Description
2009 Swine Flu Pandemic January 2009 – 10 August 2010 491,382 confirmed cases and 18,449 deaths. Estimated cases range from 700 million to 1.4 billion and a death toll from 151,700 to 575,000[77]
COVID-19 pandemic December 2019 – May 2023 10,694,288 confirmed cases and 516,210 deaths in 229 countries and territories reported by July 3, 2020.[78] A new coronavirus, first designated 2019-nCoV and later named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), spread throughout the world, causing significant loss of life and severe economic disruption.
HIV/AIDS 1981 – ongoing 37.9 million people living with HIV (end of 2018), 24.5 million people accessing antiretroviral therapy (end of June 2019), 32.0 million deaths from AIDS-related illnesses since the start of the epidemic (end 2018)[79]

References

edit
  1. ^ "The end of population growth – Global Public Square – CNN.com Blogs". Globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com. 31 October 2011. Archived from the original on 4 November 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
  2. ^ "Japan's population faces dramatic decline – CNN.com". CNN. 30 January 2012. Archived from the original on 29 June 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  3. ^ Kotkin, Joel (30 May 2012). "What's Really Behind Europe's Decline? It's The Birth Rates, Stupid". Forbes. Archived from the original on 30 June 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  4. ^ "World Briefing". The New York Times. 1 July 2006. Archived from the original on 30 June 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  5. ^ "'A robot is my friend': Can machines care for elderly?". BBC News. 16 November 2013. Archived from the original on 30 June 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  6. ^ "Japan pushing for low-cost nursing home robots to care for elderly – The Japan Daily Press". Archived from the original on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  7. ^ Montopoli, Brian (June 29, 2010). "John Boehner: Raise Social Security Retirement Age to 70". CBS. Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  8. ^ Bragdon, Tarren (November 22, 2010). "Time to Raise Social Security's Retirement Age". The Heritage Foundation. Archived from the original on 19 November 2011. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  9. ^ Sahadi, Jeanne (2 August 2010). "The red-hot debate over raising the retirement age". CNN. Archived from the original on 16 October 2011. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  10. ^ O'Brien, Michael (29 June 2010). "Top Republican: Raise Social Security's retirement age to 70". The Hill. Archived from the original on 30 October 2011. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  11. ^ "Cain's 'Chilean Model'". Investors. 29 September 2011. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  12. ^ "France raises retirement age despite protests". msnbc.com. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  13. ^ Rowley, Emma (6 June 2012). "French president Francois Hollande cuts retirement age". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 29 June 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  14. ^ Oxlade, Andrew. "State pension ages on the rise: when will you retire? - Schroders global - Schroders". World pension ages on the rise: when will you retire?. Archived from the original on 2018-06-20. Retrieved 2020-07-30.
  15. ^ Vidal, Ava. "'Intersectional feminism'. What the hell is it? (And why you should care)". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2020-06-27. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
  16. ^ Tharoor, Ishaan. "How anti-feminism is shaping world politics". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2019-03-21. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
  17. ^ Lewis, Helen (7 August 2019). "To Learn About the Far Right, Start With the 'Manosphere'". Archived from the original on 14 June 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  18. ^ Penny, Laurie (25 May 2014). "Let's call the Isla Vista killings what they were". New Statesman America. Archived from the original on 1 July 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  19. ^ Zaveri, Mihir (3 November 2018). "Gunman in Yoga Studio Shooting Recorded Misogynistic Videos and Faced Battery Charges". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 29 June 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  20. ^ "Global Concern about Climate Change, Broad Support for Limiting Emissions". Pew Research Center. 5 November 2015. Archived from the original on 24 May 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
  21. ^ "Scientists have a new way to estimate how often ocean animals get tangled in plastic – and it could explain why so many whales are washing up dead". Business Insider. 17 April 2019. Archived from the original on 11 May 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  22. ^ "Africa is leading the world in plastic bag bans". 18 May 2019. Archived from the original on 20 May 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  23. ^ "Sweeping New Report on Global Environmental Impact of Plastics Reveals Severe Damage to Climate". Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL). Archived from the original on 17 March 2020. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  24. ^ Plumer, Brad (6 May 2019). "Humans Are Speeding Extinction and Altering the Natural World at an 'Unprecedented' Pace". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 14 June 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  25. ^ Staff (6 May 2019). "Media Release: Nature's Dangerous Decline 'Unprecedented'; Species Extinction Rates 'Accelerating'". Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Archived from the original on 14 June 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  26. ^ Hodge, Stuart (6 August 2018). "Solar energy on the rise as popularity and cost-effectiveness of renewables continues to increase". Energy Digital. Archived from the original on 18 May 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
  27. ^ "HB623 CD1". capitol.hawaii.gov. Archived from the original on 25 June 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  28. ^ "California poised to be first state to require solar panels on new homes". The Guardian. 9 May 2018. Archived from the original on 17 May 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
  29. ^ "China's War on Pollution Will Change the World". Bloomberg. 9 March 2018. Archived from the original on 9 March 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
  30. ^ Graham-Harrison, Emma (2 June 2019). "A quiet revolution sweeps Europe as Greens become a political force". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 23 September 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  31. ^ "Growing Support for Gay Marriage: Changed Minds and Changing Demographics". Pew Research Center. March 20, 2013. Archived from the original on June 8, 2020. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  32. ^ Omaha World-Herald (10 May 2012). "Young people lead way in changing same sex marriage attitudes". Omaha.com. Archived from the original on 31 January 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
  33. ^ Weiner, Rachel (25 June 2012). "Republicans slowly warming to gay marriage". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 26 October 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  34. ^ "Inter-American Court endorses same-sex marriage; Costa Rica reacts". Tico Times. Archived from the original on 2 August 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  35. ^ "UN issues first resolution condemning discrimination against gay people". The Guardian. London. 17 June 2011. Archived from the original on 29 June 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  36. ^ "Analysis: The global impact of Obama's support for gay marriage". GlobalPost. Archived from the original on 10 March 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  37. ^ Halloran, Liz (20 September 2011). "With Repeal Of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' An Era Ends". NPR. Archived from the original on 26 October 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
  38. ^ O'Keefe, Ed; Whitlock, Craig (22 July 2011). "Pentagon ready to allow gays to serve openly". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 1 July 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  39. ^ "Same-sex couples celebrate wedded bliss". The New Zealand Herald. 19 August 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  40. ^ "Ireland says Yes to same-sex marriage". RTE. 24 May 2015. Archived from the original on 23 May 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  41. ^ McDonald, Henry (14 June 2017). "Ireland's first gay prime minister Leo Varadkar formally elected". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 28 November 2017. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  42. ^ "Taiwan gay marriage: Parliament legalises same-sex unions". BBC News. 17 May 2019. Archived from the original on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  43. ^ "Botswana decriminalises homosexuality". 11 June 2019. Archived from the original on 13 June 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2020 – via www.bbc.com.
  44. ^ "Ecuador legalises same-sex marriage". Metro. 13 June 2019. Archived from the original on 13 June 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  45. ^ "Transgender children welcomed by the Girl Scouts of America". Imperfectparent.com. 26 October 2011. Archived from the original on 31 December 2011. Retrieved 6 November 2012.
  46. ^ Kaleem, Jaweed (9 July 2012). "Episcopal Church Takes Bold Step on Transgender Priests". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 20 August 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  47. ^ Ed Pilkington (2 June 2015). "Caitlyn Jenner: transgender community has mixed reactions to Vanity Fair reveal". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 June 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  48. ^ Kovalyova, Albina (July 27, 2013). "'homosexual propaganda' law signals latest Russian Crackdown". NBC. Archived from the original on 20 December 2013. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  49. ^ Schwirtz, Michael (29 February 2012). "Anti-Gay Law Stirs Fears in Russia". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 29 June 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  50. ^ "China bans same-sex romance from TV screens". CNN. Archived from the original on 10 September 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  51. ^ "Trump bans transgender people in military". BBC News. 26 July 2017. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  52. ^ "Trump and Transgender Rights, What Just Happened?". NPR. 23 February 2017. Archived from the original on 29 June 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  53. ^ "Kenya's High Court Upholds a Ban on Gay Sex". The New York Times. 24 May 2019. Archived from the original on 28 May 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  54. ^ "Children and parents: Media Use and Attitudes Report" (PDF). Ofcom. 29 November 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 June 2020.
  55. ^ Turner, Camilla (2018-10-04). "Majority of three and four-year-olds now own an iPad, survey finds". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 2020-06-29. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
  56. ^ Howard, Jacqueline. "Report: Young kids spend over 2 hours a day on screens". CNN. Archived from the original on 2020-07-03. Retrieved 2020-07-03.
  57. ^ "Generation X (and Y) Are History; What's Next?". CBS News. Archived from the original on 2013-06-13. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
  58. ^ Chelsea Clinton; James P. Steyer. "Is the Internet hurting children?". CNN. Archived from the original on 2018-01-18. Retrieved 2020-06-09.
  59. ^ Campbell, Denis (2019-06-10). "Children aged five and under at risk of internet addiction – Barnardo's". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2020-06-05. Retrieved 2020-06-09.
  60. ^ Kliff, Sarah (December 17, 2014). "Today's teenagers are the best-behaved generation on record". Vox. Archived from the original on 2020-06-24. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  61. ^ Mottl, Judy (13 June 2014). "Teens fighting less, smoking less and having less sex, but some bad habits are increasing". Tech Times. Archived from the original on 1 January 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  62. ^ "Teens fighting less, smoking less and having less sex, but some bad habits are increasing". Tech Times. 13 June 2014. Archived from the original on 1 January 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  63. ^ "Youth Justice Statistics 2018/19" (PDF). gov.uk. Youth Justice Board under the direction of the Ministry of Justice. 30 January 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  64. ^ "Youth Offenders". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2020-02-06. Archived from the original on 2020-06-09. Retrieved 2020-06-09.
  65. ^ Jones, Lora (2019-09-15). "How many people vape?". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2020-07-17. Retrieved 2020-06-30.
  66. ^ King, Brian A.; Gammon, Doris G.; Marynak, Kristy L.; Rogers, Todd (2 October 2018). "Electronic Cigarette Sales in the United States, 2013–2017". JAMA. 320 (13): 1379–1380. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.10488. PMC 6233837. PMID 30285167.
  67. ^ Blog, Technavio. "Top E-cigarette Brands in the World 2018". Technavio Blog. Technavio Blog. Archived from the original on 2020-08-20. Retrieved 2020-06-30.
  68. ^ Nedelman, Michael (1 July 2019). "San Francisco mayor signs ban on e-cigarettes sales". CNN. Archived from the original on 4 July 2019. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  69. ^ "New case of Ebola confirmed in Liberia". the Guardian. Associated Press. 1 April 2016. Archived from the original on 18 June 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  70. ^ "WHO declares Ebola outbreak over". Yahoo News. Archived from the original on 14 January 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
  71. ^ "Zika virus triggers pregnancy delay calls – BBC News". BBC News. 23 January 2016. Archived from the original on 20 June 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  72. ^ "Zika: Beijing sees 2nd imported case | Outbreak News Today". outbreaknewstoday.com. 24 May 2016. Archived from the original on 29 May 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  73. ^ "12 Zika cases registered in Germany in May". New China. 1 June 2016. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  74. ^ "South Korea declares 'de facto end' to Mers virus". BBC News. Archived from the original on 1 August 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  75. ^ Hunt, Katie. "Ebola outbreak enters 'truly frightening phase' as it turns deadly in Uganda". CNN. Archived from the original on 12 June 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  76. ^ Goldberg, Mark Leon (17 July 2019). "The World Health Organization Just Declared an Ebola "Emergency" in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Here's What That Means". UN Dispatch. Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  77. ^ Dawood, Fs; Danielle Iuliano, A.; Iuliano, Ad Danielle; Reed, Carrie; Meltzer, Mi; Shay, Dk; Cheng, Py; Bandaranayake, Don; Breiman, Rf; Abdullah Brooks, W.; Brooks, Wa Abdullah (2012-09-01). "Estimated global mortality associated with the first 12 months of 2009 pandemic influenza A H1N1 virus circulation: a modelling study". The Lancet. doi:10.5281/zenodo.1260250.
  78. ^ "Coronavirus Toll: Cases & Deaths by Country, Historical Data Chart - Worldometer". Archived from the original on 2020-01-29. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
  79. ^ "Global HIV & AIDS statistics — 2019 fact sheet". UNAIDS. Archived from the original on December 4, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2020.