Evaluation of Preventive Health Practices in Turkey

BACKGROUND: Although preventive health practices are extremely effective in preventing diseases and mortality, there is still a need to determine the frequency of these practices in different countries and improve these rates. The aim of this study was to evaluate preventive health practices in Turkey. METHODS: The study was designed as a cross-sectional research. The study was conducted by utilizing the “Turkey Health Survey 2019” microdata set from the Turkish Statistical Institute. The data of 17,084 people aged 15 years and over were evaluated. RESULTS: Approximately 54.4% of the participants were women, 24.5% were 15–29 years old, and 21.0% were 60 years of age or older. Approximately 51.2% of the participants stated that their general health status as good. 2.3% of the participants had taken the flu vaccine in the last year, 38% of people aged 50–70 years had undergone a fecal occult blood test in the last 5 years, 32% of women aged 40–69 years had undergone mammography/breast X-ray in the last 2 years, and 44% of women aged 30–65 years had undergone a cervical swab test in the last 5 years. CONCLUSION: Although the rate of public participation in cancer screenings in Turkey is considerable, the data show that the rates should be further increased. In contrast, flu vaccination frequency is considerably low. To increase the frequency of preventive health practices, Turkish public should be informed about these practices, where they can be performed, and their importance.