WOMEN?S AGE AT FIRST MARRIAGE IN TURKEY: SURVIVAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

Marriage is crucial and prior for demography which investigates groups formed by individuals and the changes occuring within groups and for family structure which is the main unit of community. Marriage is the first and foremost step in the formation of family, besides being important for the individual and also for the society. In recent studies, women?s age at first marriage is the most important observed and discussed factor. Marriage of two people on legal basis is necessary for the survival of communities, but recently early marriages have become a social problem for many societies in the World. In some societies, the decrease in marriage age constitutes significant sources of problems such as health and child mortality. For this reason, studies on marriage age, contributing factors and suggestions for policy making are important. The aim of the study is to reveal the demographical and socio-economical factors determining women?s mean age at first marriage. In the study, 2013 Turkey Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS) data collected by Hacettepe University Institute of Population Studies were used. Parents? level of education and women?s number of sibling are found to be significant factors in the study where accelerated failure time models were used to determine the age of women?s first marriage.