Abstract

Life expectancy at birth is expressed as the average number of years that a newly born individual is expected to live according to existing health conditions throughout his life. This period is one of the most important indicators of the welfare and health level of societies. Life expectancy and birth rate are important demographic determinants that affect human capital and economic growth performance. Policies to reduce the birth rate have been implemented in Türkiye from the first development plan to the tenth development plan. In this way, it is aimed to reduce the population growth rate and increase economic performance. When the literature is searched, it is seen that although the subject has an important position, there are not enough studies investigating the relationships between life expectancy and economic and other variables. In this study, it is aimed to investigate the relationship between life expectancy at birth and economic growth with annual data for the period 1961-2021 for Türkiye, using the wavelet transform Fourier Quantile Toda-Yamamoto Causality technique. As a result of the research, after the wavelet transformation, causality was found from the birth rate to life expectancy at birth according to the original series. Bidirectional causality was found, from economic growth to life expectancy at birth and from life expectancy at birth to economic growth. A bidirectional causality was found in the short term, from urbanization to life expectancy at birth and from life expectancy at birth to urbanization. In the middle term, causality was found from birth rate to life expectancy at birth. Bidirectional causality was found, from economic growth to life expectancy at birth and from life expectancy at birth to economic growth. In the long run, bidirectional causality was found, from birth rate to life expectancy at birth and from life expectancy at birth to birth rate. Causality was found from life expectancy at birth to economic growth and urbanization.