The changing health convergence for life expectancy and spatial interactions

Spatial interactions are important to consider issues like health convergence between the European Union countries and Spanish provinces. Health status is measured by a combination of objective health outcome indicators, such as life expectancy: at birth, at age 65, disability-adjusted life expectancy and healthy life expectancy based on self-perceived health. The period analysed differs from one indicator to another considering 1998–2018. There are two forms of convergence: σ-convergence and absolute β-convergence. Furthermore, the Moran Test is performed to disentangle the degree of spatial dependencies and two models of spatial regression are used to include these dependencies in the absolute β-convergence estimation. Our findings suggest that there is a convergence process among European Union countries and the Spanish provinces. On the other hand, β-convergence is higher in women among European countries and in men for Spanish provinces. Nevertheless, the rise of the dispersion means that there is not clear evidence about trends in the period considered. There are two contributions in our research: to achieve an updated vision of health convergence and to incorporate spatial econometrics in Health Economics research. These insights can help to reduce health inequalities.