Changes in Modal Age at Death and Mortality Compression in Turkey: 1920-2020

Zehra Yayla Enfiyeci , Hacettepe University institute of Population Studies
Ismet Koç, Hacettepe University Institute of Population Studies

Life expectancy is the indicator most frequently used to describe the mean of the life table distribution of death. However, an alternative perspective is to study the age where most of the deaths are occurring, that is the modal age at death. Currently, mortality is concentrated at older ages in most countries. Studying the modal age at death provides an opportunity to have a different perspective of the changes in the distribution of deaths and to explain the change in mortality at older ages. Turkey is not exception experiencing the concentration of mortality at older ages. The objective of the study is to examine the changes in the model age at death and its linkage with the mortality compression in Turkey for the period of 1920-2020. The data are from the forecast using the secondary data for the past periods, and from the vital registration system for the recent periods. The preliminary results reveal that life expectancy has increased by 52 years from 26 years in 1920 to 78 years in 2020. In the same period, modal age at death has increased by 17 years from 67 years to 84 years. In this period, the standard deviation above modal age at death has decreased from 8.5 to 6.2 that also confirms the mortality compression at older ages over time in Turkey. Turkey, as a country at the onset of population aging process, should take necessary economic, social and health-related measures considering mortality compression that the country experiencing rapidly.

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 Presented in Session P2. Poster Session Ageing, Health and Mortality