Turks and Caicos Islands

The Health in the Americas+¹ country and territory profiles are based on the interagency indicators available as of the dates referenced. The sources are referenced in this table. In some cases, the values of the indicators may differ from the most recent data available in the country.

Environmental and social determinants of health

In 2000 the total population of Turks and Caicos Islands was 18 744 inhabitants; by 2023 this figure had risen to 46 062, representing a 145.7% increase. Regarding the country’s demographic profile, in 2023 people over 65 years of age accounted for 10.5% of the total population, an increase of 6.5 percentage points compared to the year 2000. In 2023, there were 98.8 women per 100 men and 63.3 older people (65 years or older) per 100 children under 15 years of age, as can be seen in the country’s population pyramids, distributed by age group and sex (Figure 1). Considering the population between 15 and 64 years of age to be potentially active (i.e., potential participants in the labor force), this group represented 72.8% of the total population of the country in 2023 (33 544 people). When we add these figures to the potentially passive population (7 666 under 15 years of age and 4 852 over 65 years of age), the result is a dependency ratio of 37.3 potentially passive people per 100 potentially active people. This ratio was 46.4 in 2000.

Life expectancy at birth in 2023 was 76.1 years, lower than the average for the Region of the Americas and 2.5 years higher that in 2000.

Figure 1. Population pyramids of Turks and Caicos, years 2000 and 2023

The unemployment rate in 2020 was 11% for the total population. Disaggregated by sex, the rate was 14.96% for women and 9.13% for men. The literacy rate was 100% for men and 99.9% for women). The Turks and Caicos Islands presented a gross domestic product (GDP) of US$20 700 and low poverty levels for 2020. In addition, 21.6% of the population was below the national poverty line in 2020 The percentage of the population with an income of less than US$ 1.90 per day was above the regional average of 3%.

Digital coverage

In 2020, the percentages of women and men aged 15–49 years who reported using the Internet in the previous 3 months were 92.5% and 90.8%, respectively.

Health situation

Maternal and child health

Between 2004 and 2020, infant mortality in Turks and Caicos Islands remains in 0 deaths per 1000 live births (Figure 2). The percentage of low-weight births (less than 2500 g) increased from 7.4% to 8.9% between 2008 and 2021.

Figure 2. Infant mortality per 1000 live births, 1995–2020

Regarding the immunization strategy, measles vaccination coverage was 94% in 2022, a decrease of 5 percentage points from 2000.

In relation to fertility, it is estimated that in 2023 women had an average of 1.6 children throughout their reproductive lives. In the specific case of adolescent fertility, there was a 48.5% decrease, from 30.9 live births per 1000 women aged 15 to 19 years in 2000 to 15.9 in 2023. In 2021, 100% of births were attended by skilled birth personnel. Between 2011 and 2018 the percentage of pregnant people who received antenatal care increased from 92% to 100%.

Communicable diseases

In 2021, there were zero new cases of tuberculosis in Turks and Caicos Islands. In 2021, the estimated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection incidence rate (new diagnoses) was 44.3 per 100 000 population.

Noncommunicable diseases and risk factors

In the Turks and Caicos Islands, the prevalence of tobacco use among people aged 15 and older was 10.8% for men and 5.7% for women in 2020.

Mortality

The overall crude death rate was 2.96 per 1000 population in 2020, a decrease of 15% compared to 2001 (3.47 deaths per 1000 population).

The health situation and the COVID-19 pandemic

In 2020, the Turks and Caicos Islands ranked 31th in the Region of the Americas in terms of the number of deaths from COVID-19, and 42th in 2021.

Prospects

Measures to achieve universal health coverage

The Turks and Caicos Islands maintains the gradual trend of population aging, with an average life expectancy at birth of more than 80 years.

Regarding the health system, the national health insurance program has received technical support from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) aimed at sustainable financing and evaluating a capitation system.² The Vision 2030 Health Sector Plan includes a renewal of primary health care to reduce the use of high-cost hospital services and improve access to primary care.³

In relation to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of achieving universal immunization coverage is emphasized. Efforts have been made to strengthen epidemiological surveillance and detection strategies at the territory's entry points.

Under-five mortality has been drastically reduced, representing a critical achievement to maintain. There has been an increase in adolescent fertility, highlighting the importance of strengthening sexual and reproductive health programs.

Available data on HIV incidence also support the importance of promoting the use of barrier methods of contraception. PAHO's strategic fund has intervened to facilitate access to antiretrovirals in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and registration and importation systems for other drugs have been designed.

The promotion of mental health has also been highlighted as a priority, given that the situation of distress, anxiety, and suffering generated by the pandemic is compounded by the burden produced by emergencies or natural disasters, such as hurricanes. In the latter area, the territory has organized hospital preparedness activities and contingency plans in the field.

The sources of the interagency indicators used in this profile can be found in this table.

For the latest data on health indicators for the Region of the Americas, be sure to visit the PAHO Core Indicators portal.