In Turkey the WHO World Health Report (2003) indicates an adult mortality⁵² rate per 1000 population of 177 for males and 112 for females. (crude death rate 5.95 deaths/1,000 population and life expectancy at birth (total population) 72.08 years (2004 est.)⁵³ (Table 3).

Life expectancy for males is 67.9; for females 72.2. Healthy life expectancy is 61.2 for males; 62.8 for females.⁵⁴

Circulatory disease is the primary cause of death. In 2003, circulatory disease accounted for 48% of all registered deaths (26% deaths in men and 23% deaths in women).⁵⁵

Table 3 Country death rates and life expectancy at birth (total population)*

Cancer (neoplasm) is the second commonest registered cause of death. In 2003, cancer accounted for an estimated 13% of all registered deaths (8% deaths in men and 5% deaths in women).⁵⁶ The first cancer registry in Turkey to follow international guidelines, the Izmir Cancer Registry, was established in 1992, and records cancer incidence in the Izmir region of the country.⁵⁷ Published figures relate to the Izmir region of Turkey in 1994, with an estimated population of around 3.2 million. Cancers of the tracheii, bronchus and lungs were the commonest in men (61.6% annual incidence). Breast cancer was the commonest in women (24.4% annual incidence).⁵⁸

There are no UNAIDS figures for the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Turkey.⁵⁹ Estimates from the CIA World Factbook suggest a very low rate of less than 0.1% (2001 est.) (Table 4).

Table 4 Country HIV and AIDS estimates, end 2003*

Source: 2004 Report of the global AIDS epidemic

* No estimates have been made where sufficient data for the last six years was not available

In 2004, the Turkish State Statistics Institute reported a total of 197 HIV/AIDS cases (as of end 2003).⁶⁰

Tuberculosis is a greater problem than HIV/AIDS with an estimated 18,000 people undergoing treatment each year. The State Institute for Statistics reports:

‘In the past, prevention used to be the main part of tuberculosis control activities in Turkey, but at the present, successful case detection and treatment have become major components of tuberculosis control program. Therefore, besides anti-tuberculosis drugs, diagnosis has also been provided free of charge to patients. Today, tuberculosis control services are provided by 244 dispensaries of which belong to the Ministry of Health, 31 dispensaries of which belong to voluntary organizations, 22 Chest Diseases Hospitals and 11 mobile tuberculosis group These units are controlling approximately 2.5 million persons each year and providing health care for 18,000 patients.’⁶¹