Standardbevölkerung

Standardbevölkerung refers to a standardized representation of a population used in various statistical and demographic analyses. It is often employed to make comparisons between different groups or time periods more meaningful by adjusting for inherent differences in age and sex structures. Instead of using the actual age and sex distribution of a specific population, a fixed, internationally recognized standard population is applied. This allows researchers to isolate the effect of other factors, such as health interventions or environmental exposures, on mortality or disease rates, without the confounding influence of demographic variations. The World Health Organization (WHO) and other international bodies provide recommended standard populations, such as the WHO World Standard Population, which is based on the age and sex distribution of the global population in a particular year. When comparing age-standardized rates, it is crucial to ensure that the same standard population has been used for all groups being compared. This technique is particularly valuable in epidemiology, public health, and actuarial science for understanding trends and evaluating the effectiveness of policies.