Rural Ageing: Iran is on the Brink of a New Social Problem

Subject Areas : Iranian Sociological Review

Amir Sabzalian ¹ (Ph.D. Student of Sociology, Department of Social Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran)
Majid Kaffashi ² (Associate Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Roudehen Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran)
Bahman Bayangani ³ (Assistant Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Fauclty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Golestan University, Golestan, Iran)

Received: 2019-10-21 Accepted : 2019-10-21 Published : 2019-09-01

Keywords: population ageing, rural ageing, social problem, Iran,

Abstract :

The paper aims to examine the population ageing as a new phenomenon effecting rural areas in Iran. Population ageing is going up throughout the country especially in the rural areas by 6.8 percent. fertility decline, increase in the youth migration to cities, and coming back to rural areas after retiring are the major factors which involve in rural ageing. This may jeopardize the communities. findings derived from conducted research indicated as the rural population ageing increases the elderly who are the resident of the areas will be faced with challenges such as lack of social security, inadequateaccess to health care services due to lack of proper infrastructure, Socialisolation andloneliness etc. On the other hand, the rural shrinkage leads to metropolitan centers and prefectural capitals expand very rapidly, which results in over- crowding in some urban districts. In addition, resistance to change production modes, lack of creativity, innovation, and production development, reduction in productivity, decline in fertility, vicious circle of rural ageing, limited agriculture land falling into disuse, and threatening the economic security are the direct consequences of rural ageing threatening the whole country. So, if the policymakers pay no attention the rural ageing, we will encounter serious problem in the near future.