Authors: Canan BAYDEMİR, K. Setenay DİNÇER, Kazım ÖZDAMAR
Abstract: The life expectancies of Province and District Areas in Turkey for the years 1980, 1985 and 1990 were calculated using Abridged Life Tables with the numbers of deaths and age distributions of the population for 1980, 1985 and 1990 according to age and sex. The life expectancies were found to be 62.95 years and 68.73 years for males, and 68.46 years and 73.33 years for females. ln addition, to determine the most common cause of death in each age group, Single-Decrement Life Tables were used. The five causes with the highest death incidence were lnfectious and Parasitic Disease, Malignant Neoplasm, Heart Diseases, Cerebro-Vascular Diseases, Motor-Vehicle Traffic Accidents, while the rest were grouped together as other causes of death. When deaths from the five major causes were eliminated from calculations, the life expectancies at birth were estimated to be 80.44 years and 83.89 years for males and 81.44 years and 84.88 years for females for 1980 and 1990 respectively. lf deaths due to Motor-Vehicle Traffic Accidents and lnfectious and Parasitic Diseases could be prevented through health care and education, the life expectancies at birth would be 80 years. Statistics on death rates in Turkey are incomplete and not satisfactory. Single-Decrement Life Tables use conditional death probabilities. When the selected diseases are eliminated, people are subject to the other causes. Because of this, Single -Decrement Life Tables must be used carefully.
Keywords: Life table, life expectancy, death rates, force of mortality.