IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/pra/mprapa/117265.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

New evidence on life expectancy and development: is Sub-Saharan Africa different?

Author

Listed:
  • Ngoudji Tameko, Charlie Yves
  • Ningaye, Paul

Abstract

This paper applies the standard β-convergence analysis and the log-t test methods to compare the convergence process of life expectancy and per capita GDP, using a sample of 89 countries between 1960-2019 and analyse the interrelation and the dynamics of these phenomena in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) after the international epidemiological transition. We use life expectancy at birth and per capita GDP estimates from respectively the World Bank’s Population Estimates and Projections and the Penn World Table. Our results show evidence of significant catching-up in life expectancy between SSA countries and the rich and the other poor world by 2019 after a slowdown period between 1985 and 2000 in which most SSA countries converge into multiple steady states. Further, we find that the world without SSA is converging economically in 2019 while significant cross-country variations and convergence clubs are noted when taking into consideration the region. Finally, our results indicate that the economic performances of SSA are not the only factors driving the health catch-up, the increasing convergence in the antimalarial policies’ implementation in SSA after 2003 play great role in this process.

Suggested Citation

  • Ngoudji Tameko, Charlie Yves & Ningaye, Paul, 2023. "New evidence on life expectancy and development: is Sub-Saharan Africa different?," MPRA Paper 117265, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:117265
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/117265/1/New%20Evidence%20on%20Life%20Expectancy%20and%20Development%20-%20Is%20SSA%20different.pdf
    File Function: original version
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Robert C. Feenstra & Robert Inklaar & Marcel P. Timmer, 2015. "The Next Generation of the Penn World Table," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 105(10), pages 3150-3182, October.
    2. Hashem Pesaran, M., 2007. "A pair-wise approach to testing for output and growth convergence," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 138(1), pages 312-355, May.
    3. Regis, Paulo José & Cuestas, Juan Carlos & Chen, Yang, 2015. "Corporate tax in Europe: Towards convergence?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 9-12.
    4. Paul Johnson & Chris Papageorgiou, 2020. "What Remains of Cross-Country Convergence?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 58(1), pages 129-175, March.
    5. Peter C. B. Phillips & Donggyu Sul, 2009. "Economic transition and growth," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 24(7), pages 1153-1185.
    6. Barro, Robert J & Sala-i-Martin, Xavier, 1997. "Technological Diffusion, Convergence, and Growth," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 2(1), pages 1-26, March.
    7. Serge Mandiefe Piabuo & Julius Chupezi Tieguhong, 2017. "Health expenditure and economic growth - a review of the literature and an analysis between the economic community for central African states (CEMAC) and selected African countries," Health Economics Review, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 1-13, December.
    8. Sayel Basel & R. Prabhakara Rao & K. U. Gopakumar, 2021. "Analysis of club convergence for economies: identification and testing using development indices," Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science, Springer, vol. 5(3), pages 885-908, October.
    9. Marrero, Ángel S. & Marrero, Gustavo A. & González, Rosa Marina & Rodríguez-López, Jesús, 2021. "Convergence in road transport CO2 emissions in Europe," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    10. Clark, Rob, 2011. "World health inequality: Convergence, divergence, and development," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(4), pages 617-624, February.
    11. Mariam Camarero & Juana Castillo & Andrés Picazo-Tadeo & Cecilio Tamarit, 2013. "Eco-Efficiency and Convergence in OECD Countries," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 55(1), pages 87-106, May.
    12. Peter C. B. Phillips & Donggyu Sul, 2007. "Transition Modeling and Econometric Convergence Tests," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 75(6), pages 1771-1855, November.
    13. Ekaterini Panopoulou & Theologos Pantelidis, 2009. "Club Convergence in Carbon Dioxide Emissions," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 44(1), pages 47-70, September.
    14. Behiye Cavusoglu & Obadiah Jonathan Gimba, 2021. "Life Expectancy in Sub-Sahara Africa: An Examination of Long-Run and Short-Run Effects," Asian Development Policy Review, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 9(1), pages 57-68, March.
    15. Kant, Chander, 2019. "Income convergence and the catch-up index," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 613-627.
    16. Daron Acemoglu & Simon Johnson, 2007. "Disease and Development: The Effect of Life Expectancy on Economic Growth," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 115(6), pages 925-985, December.
    17. Joachim Schnurbus & Harry Haupt & Verena Meier, 2017. "Economic Transition and Growth: A Replication," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(5), pages 1039-1042, August.
    18. Christopher J. Gerry & Yulia Raskina & Daria Tsyplakova, 2018. "Convergence or Divergence? Life Expectancy Patterns in Post-communist Countries, 1959–2010," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 140(1), pages 309-332, November.
    19. Ryan D. Edwards & Shripad Tuljapurkar, 2005. "Inequality in Life Spans and a New Perspective on Mortality Convergence Across Industrialized Countries," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 31(4), pages 645-674, December.
    20. Montañés, A. & Olmos, L., 2013. "Convergence in US house prices," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 121(2), pages 152-155.
    21. Robert W. Snow & Benn Sartorius & David Kyalo & Joseph Maina & Punam Amratia & Clara W. Mundia & Philip Bejon & Abdisalan M. Noor, 2017. "The prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum in sub-Saharan Africa since 1900," Nature, Nature, vol. 550(7677), pages 515-518, October.
    22. Kinnunen, Maarit & Wood, Emma H. & Li, Yanning & Moss, Jonathan, 2022. "Self-recorded conversations in tourism memory research," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    23. Kerui Du, 2017. "Econometric convergence test and club clustering using Stata," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 17(4), pages 882-900, December.
    24. Carlos Bethencourt & Gustavo A. Marrero & Charlie Y. Ngoudji, 2023. "The Fight Against Malaria: A New Index for Quantifying and Assessing Policy Implementation Actions to Reduce Malaria Burden in Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 59(7), pages 1092-1113, July.
    25. Michael Kremer & Jack Willis & Yang You, 2022. "Converging to Convergence," NBER Macroeconomics Annual, University of Chicago Press, vol. 36(1), pages 337-412.
    26. Easterlin, Richard A., 1999. "How beneficent is the market? A look at the modern history of mortality," European Review of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 3(3), pages 257-294, December.
    27. Mr. Kenichi Ueda, 2008. "Life Expectancy and Income Convergence in the World: A Dynamic General Equilibrium Analysis," IMF Working Papers 2008/158, International Monetary Fund.
    28. Jeffrey Sachs & Pia Malaney, 2002. "The economic and social burden of malaria," Nature, Nature, vol. 415(6872), pages 680-685, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Saba Charles Shaaba & Ngepah Nicholas, 2020. "Military expenditure and security outcome convergence in African regional economic communities: evidence from the convergence club algorithm," Peace Economics, Peace Science, and Public Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 26(1), pages 1-28, February.
    2. Liou, Lathan & Joe, William & Kumar, Abhishek & Subramanian, S.V., 2020. "Inequalities in life expectancy: An analysis of 201 countries, 1950–2015," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 253(C).
    3. Santiago, Renato & Fuinhas, José Alberto & Marques, António Cardoso, 2020. "An analysis of the energy intensity of Latin American and Caribbean countries: Empirical evidence on the role of public and private capital stock," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 211(C).
    4. Cui, Wenyue & Tang, Jie, 2023. "Innovation convergence clubs and their driving factors within urban agglomeration," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    5. Uğur Ursavaş & Carlos Mendez, 2023. "Regional income convergence and conditioning factors in Turkey: revisiting the role of spatial dependence and neighbor effects," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 71(2), pages 363-389, October.
    6. Sun, Huaping & Kporsu, Anthony Kwaku & Taghizadeh-Hesary, Farhad & Edziah, Bless Kofi, 2020. "Estimating environmental efficiency and convergence: 1980 to 2016," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    7. Cialani, Catia & Mortazavi, Reza, 2021. "Sectoral analysis of club convergence in EU countries’ CO2 emissions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 235(C).
    8. Mark J. Holmes & Jesús Otero & Theodore Panagiotidis, 2022. "Convergence in retail gasoline prices: insights from Canadian cities," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 68(1), pages 207-228, February.
    9. Sayel Basel & R. Prabhakara Rao & K. U. Gopakumar, 2021. "Analysis of club convergence for economies: identification and testing using development indices," Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science, Springer, vol. 5(3), pages 885-908, October.
    10. González, Germán Héctor & García-González, Juan David & Gómez-Medina, José Santiago & Corbella, Virginia Inés, 2023. "Regionalization of Latin America based on asymmetries in the absorptive capacity of countries," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 27(C).
    11. Saadet Kasman & Adnan Kasman, 2021. "Convergence in obesity and overweight rates across OECD countries: evidence from the stochastic and club convergence tests," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 61(2), pages 1063-1096, August.
    12. Arčabić, Vladimir & Kim, Kyoung Tae & You, Yu & Lee, Junsoo, 2021. "Century-long dynamics and convergence of income inequality among the US states," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    13. Karakaya, Etem & Sarı, Erkam & Alataş, Sedat, 2021. "What drives material use in the EU? Evidence from club convergence and decomposition analysis on domestic material consumption and material footprint," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    14. Cavallaro, Eleonora & Villani, Ilaria, 2021. "Real income convergence and the patterns of financial integration in the EU," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    15. Aweng Peter Majok Garang & Hatice Erkekoglu, 2021. "Convergence Triggers in Africa: Evidence from Convergence Clubs and Panel Models," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 89(2), pages 218-245, June.
    16. Mateusz Tomal, 2022. "Testing for overall and cluster convergence of housing rents using robust methodology: evidence from Polish provincial capitals," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 62(4), pages 2023-2055, April.
    17. Kerner, Philip & Wendler, Tobias, 2022. "Convergence in resource productivity," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    18. Yuanyuan Cai & Yingming Zhu & Marco Helbich, 2022. "Club convergence of regional housing prices in China: evidence from 70 major Cities," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 69(1), pages 33-55, August.
    19. Christopoulos, Konstantinos & Eleftheriou, Konstantinos, 2020. "Premature mortality in the US: A convergence study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    20. Syed Abul, Basher & Jobaida, Behtarin & Salim, Rashid, 2022. "Convergence across Subnational Regions of Bangladesh – What the Night Lights Data Say?," MPRA Paper 111963, University Library of Munich, Germany.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    life expectancy; per capita GDP; convergence; health; economic growth; Sub-Saharan Africa;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:117265. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Joachim Winter (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/vfmunde.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.