Comparative Analysis of Regional Mortality Rates and Causes in the Turkistan and Other Regions of Kazakhstan: Data from Unified National Electronic Healthcare System 2018-2023

Background:
Turkistan is the most densely populated region of Kazakhstan, with 75% of its population residing in rural areas. The region holds for a rich historical and cultural background as it was recently named as the spiritual capital of the Turkic world. Despite the importance of the place, it has its own challenges in the healthcare field, especially with mortality rates. This study aimed to discover and analyze the structure of the death rates in Turkistan region in order to provide a reliable data for future research projects.
Methods:
Mortality data were obtained from the Unified National Electronic Health System of Kazakhstan for 2018-2023 years. The dataset comprised 1,073,382 individual death records. The classification of causes of death followed the WHO Global Health Estimates methodology. All statistical analyses were performed using the Python 3.11.  
Results:
Turkistan region had 632 deaths per 100,000 population, which was lower than the national average death rate in 2018, however, during the COVID pandemic the numbers spiked to 882 deaths per 100,000 population. Despite high numbers during COVID, the region has managed this problem and by 2023 remained in the top 3 regions with the lowest death rates. Additionally, the following diseases were identified as the leading causes of death by 2023: other neuropsychiatric disorders, cerebrovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Conclusion:
Turkistan region needs to develop targeted health programs against the current top death causing diseases, with the emphasis on enhancing the diagnosis, treatment, coding and registration capabilities.