What is Equivalent Household Member

The present study was conducted to determine the reasons affecting poverty in Turkey and specify the level of significance of these reasons to explain poverty. The data which was analyzed in the study were retrieved from the Household Budget Research which was published by the Turkish Statistical Institute. In the study, logit models have been established by taking into account the demographic and socioeconomic indicators and the characteristics of the household. For each of these models, ROC curves were drawn, and the best model was found with the help of the areas under the curve. The results showed that the model which was developed based on the variables related to housing and the model according to consumption expenditure were determined to be more significant to explain poverty. Also, the rental value of the house, the floor type of the house and household's head educational level were found to be the most significant determinants of poverty according to the analysis of the results.