Determinants and measurement of health inequality in Turkey and estimating with the microsimulation

The aim of dissertation thesis is to analyze and measure health inequalities in Turkey and to evaluate policies to reduce them. In the study, using the micro data sets obtained from TURKSTAT, the extent of health inequalities was estimated by different index calculations. The data obtained by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were used to identify the main factors of health inequalities. The HUMANITY microsimulation model, developed for the Turkish sample, was used to test different policies to prevent health inequalities. The results show that the minimum income policy is the intervention that most reduces health inequalities. According to the microsimulation projections for 2050, health inequalities are expected to persist if current policies are continued. However, it is possible that these inequalities could be significantly reduced with the implementation of the proposed policies. The results of this study highlight the importance of social support programs and minimum income support policies in reducing health inequalities in Turkey.