Quality of Life of The Provinces: An Index Based on Data Envelopment Analysis with Turkish Statistical Institute Data

Abstract

With the Index of Life in Provinces, TURKSTAT has made an index study to measure, compare, monitor the life of individuals and households at the local level in the distinction of life dimensions using objective and subjective criteria. A total of 41 indicators are used in 11 dimensions in the TURKSTAT Life Index. Life Index is found with arithmetic average of sub-indices obtained by minimum-maximum normalization. In this study, it is recommended to use Data Envelopment Analysis to find sub-indices. In addition, the Quality of Life Index of the provinces was taken as the geometric mean of the obtained sub-indices. The Quality of Life Index of the provinces in 2015 was obtained without weight restriction with the data of TURKSTAT 2015 Life Index. Then, the Quality of Life Index of the provinces in 2015 was determined by weight restriction. Geographically, the quality of life of the western provinces of Turkey was found to be higher than quality of life of the eastern provinces.