 |
The expectation
of life in 1989 for the country as a whole was 65.2 years and in 1997 this decreased to
64.7 years. The mortality rate in urban areas is higher than in the rural areas and rural
life expectancy is 0.6 years higher than that of urban areas. Female life expectancy
exceeds male life expectancy by 7.3 years in urban areas and by 3.8 years in rural areas
in 1997 Life expectancy has fallen for both men and women in recent years. Following a
period of steady improvement from 1986 to 1990, there was a significant deterioration up
to 1994. This deterioration has been more marked for women than for men, with a reduction
in female life expectancy of three years, compared with 1.5 years for males. In 1997 life
expectancy was 61.8 years for men and 67.5 years for females, one of the lowest in the WHO
European region. The factors contributing to these changes are predominantly those
affecting adult mortality (Ministry of Health and Medical Industry, Turkmenistan, 1998). |
