Abstract:

The objectives of the study are to estimate the level and pattern of adult mortality in Turkey and to construct life tables for males and females. Because of the lack of the literature in this field, providing a reference introducing the method in Turkish is also among the objectives of the study. The male and female life tables for the period 1998-2003 has been constructed by the application of the synthetic orhphanhood method, developed by Zlotnik and Hill (1981), to the 1998 and 2003 Turkey Demographic and Health Survey data sets. Mortality curves derived from the constructed life tables has not a “U-shaped” but a “J-shaped” pattern. This structure indicates that the pattern of mortality in Turkey have several characteristics in common with the mortality pattern of developed countries. Life tables produced within the scope of the study for the mid-2001 reveals that life expectancy at birth for females is 72 years and 70 years for males. In general, the results are consistent with the other life tables, which have been constructed aproximately for the same period. As the information derived from vital statistics system is not reliable, life tables constructed directly using age-specific death rates does not reflect the real situation. This study has shown that life tables can be constructed even the vital registration system is insufficient and the Orphanhood Method is a useful tool to overcome such problems.

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