Health Status of Elderly Women in Turkey

Today, the aging of the population is a critical "women's health issue". The aging brings not only a high prevalence of chronic disease and disability, but also leads to an increased social and economic burden. Although notable progress has been made in understanding the various issues of elderly women in Turkey, the need for policy making and services planning are increasing. Thus, health needs of elderly women become a growing issue in Turkey. The purpose of this study is to analyze the Turkish health care policy related to elderly women and also to discuss health needs of elderly women in Turkey. Finally, strategies are provided for improving health and social conditions of elderly women in the context of recent trends in the world. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.