Does health expenditure matter for life expectancy in Mediterranean countries?

Restoring life expectancy in low-income countries: the combined impact of COVID-19, health expenditure, GDP, and child mortality

BACKGROUND

Life expectancy is a vital indicator of a country's health and progress. Low-income countries face uncertainty regarding the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, driven by health expenditure levels, concerns over rising child mortality rates, and decreasing per capita income. These factors challenge life expectancy and demand urgent attention. This study aims to identify patterns, challenges, and opportunities to improve life expectancy in these countries through better health policies and resource allocation.

METHODS

The research investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, health expenditure, per capita income, and child mortality rates on life expectancy in low-income countries. By examining 22 years of data from 20 countries, using a comprehensive dataset from the Our World in Data database, this study employs panel regression and time series analysis to explore how these factors influence life expectancy.

RESULTS

The findings indicate a significant negative effect of COVID-19 on life expectancy, while health expenditure and per capita income show a positive impact. Conversely, child mortality rates exert a negative effect on life expectancy in low-income countries.

CONCLUSION

This research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by analysing how COVID-19, health expenditure, per capita income, and child mortality collectively affect life expectancy in low-income countries. The insights gained may inform policymakers and health consultants about the need for targeted interventions, prioritising healthcare investment and child health. By addressing these critical areas, it may be possible to improve life expectancy and overall health outcomes, thus contributing to global health equity.

The impact of renewable energy, carbon emissions, and fossil fuels on health outcomes: a study of West African countries

This study analyses the panel data for the 19 countries of West Africa and employed the Grossman health production function, which is estimated using the regression model with Driscoll Kraay standard error and the robustness of the result is evaluated using Common Correlated Mean Group estimator. Current health expenditure, per capita income, and C02 emissions are significantly associated with an improvement in life expectancy and a reduction in under-5 mortality. Per capita income and fossil fuel are associated with significant reductions in mortality from chronic conditions. However, while fossil fuel is significantly associated with a reduced life span, there is no significant evidence that renewable energy improves life expectancy. Moreover, renewable energy and fossil fuels are not associated with a significant reduction in under-5 mortality. Finally, though insignificant, renewable energy and public expenditure on education are associated with mortality reductions for people with chronic conditions.

Life expectancy and health care spending in South Asia: An econometric analysis

Affordable health care is often a result of increased government spending on the health sector. Out-of-pocket expenses remain the primary health care funding source in many South Asian nations. Lack of adequate public funding for health services, difficulty in obtaining health insurance, and high out-of-pocket costs can result in indebtedness, reductions in actual consumption, and decreased access to health care services. The study examines life expectancy and health care spending in South Asian countries. The life expectancy of South Asian countries is studied as a health outcome in relation to health care spending, gross national income per capita, and expected years of schooling. This study is based on secondary data from World Bank statistics that covers eight South Asian countries from 2000 to 2021, for a total of 176 pooled time series and cross-sectional observations. The data were analysed using econometric models, including the cross sectional dependency test, panel unit root test, panel co-integration test, vector error correction model, pair-wise Granger causality test, and Wald test statistics. The vector error correction model results indicate that health care spending, anticipated years of schooling, and gross national income per capita have a long-run association with health outcomes. Health care spending, per capita gross national income, and expected years of education have all greatly enhanced life expectancy in South Asian countries. An effective health strategy is necessary to increase people's healthy life expectancy and well-being. To accomplish this, government may need to promote school enrolment to help people become more health literate and aware of their health outcomes. As a result, persons with more years of schooling have better health, higher levels of well-being, healthier habits, and ultimately, a longer life expectancy. This study will provide an important insight to policymakers in improving health outcomes through targeted and sustained health care spending in South Asia.

Environmental technology to stimulate life expectancy: A deep dive into the role of PM2.5 and carbon emission

As the Latin American economies contend with improving public health while simultaneously dealing with ecological issues, understanding the determinant of life expectancy becomes imperative. This study explores the interaction among environmental technology, economic development, cleaner energy transitions, industrial growth, particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5), carbon emission, and their collective impact on life expectancy across Latin American nations. The research incorporates advanced econometric approaches comprising Mean Group (MG), Pooled Mean Group (PMG), and Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MMQR). The study's outcome established that cleaner energy transitions, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), industrialization and environmental technologies significantly improve life expectancy, especially at higher quantiles. However, the outcome highlighted that PM2.5 and carbon emissions reduce life expectancy. Additionally, this study supports the unidirectional connection between environmental technology, economic development, cleaner energy transitions, industrial growth, life expectancy, and the bidirectional connection flowing from carbon emission PM2.5 to life expectancy. The study offers a roadmap for Latin America and global economies to invest in technology, cleaner power supply and industrialization to provide a route toward sustainable development and better public health that will eventually improve their citizens' life expectancy.

Air pollution and life expectancy in the USA: Do medical innovation, health expenditure, and economic complexity matter?

Regardless of a country's income level, air pollution poses a significant environmental threat to human health. Long-term exposure to air pollution often triggers cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Thus, air pollution significantly reduces life expectancy worldwide. The USA is one of the world's largest polluters of CO2 emissions, often used to represent air pollution. In this context, the main objective of this study is to examine the relationship between air pollution and life expectancy in the USA. In doing so, we control for the role of medical innovation, health expenditures, economic complexity, and government effectiveness using data for the period 1995-2019. The results indicate the existence of a cointegration relationship in the proposed model. The long-run coefficients are statistically positive for medical innovation and negative for CO2 emissions, economic complexity, and government effectiveness. On the other hand, health expenditures are ineffective in terms of life expectancy. Accordingly, medical innovation raises life expectancy, whereas CO2 emissions, economic complexity, and government effectiveness decrease it. Higher economic prosperity and health expenditures are not always beneficial to life expectancy. Therefore, policymakers need to take action to reduce air pollution and increase the comprehensiveness of economic prosperity benefits and health expenditure efficiency.

The effects of food affordability on life expectancy in emerging countries

The relationship between food prices and life expectancy in emerging countries has significant implications for public health and socioeconomic development in these regions. This study examines this relationship using a dataset of 120 emerging economies over the period 2000–2021, employing the dynamic panel threshold and system generalized method of moments (GMM) models. Our findings reveal a nonlinear inverted U‐shaped relationship where beyond a specific threshold, higher food prices tend to shorten life expectancy. We also reveal the disproportionate burden placed on low‐income countries when food prices rise, in comparison to middle‐income countries and highlight the profound impact of economic disparities on public health. Moreover, we identify several channels through which food prices affect life expectancy. Specifically, we reveal that income, undernutrition, and mental health disorders represent potential mediating factors affecting food prices–life expectancy nexus. We also shed light on the severe implications of economic crises on public health, emphasizing the close connection between economic events and indicators of human health. These insights have direct implications for policymakers, offering valuable guidance in the context of fluctuating food prices.