IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i18p7921-d1475595.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being in European Union Countries in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Aneta Mikuła

    (Department of Economics and Economic Policy, Institute of Economics and Finance, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland)

  • Małgorzata Raczkowska

    (Department of Economics and Economic Policy, Institute of Economics and Finance, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland)

  • Monika Utzig

    (Department of Economics and Economic Policy, Institute of Economics and Finance, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted many countries’ economic, social, and political systems. The health and well-being sector has been particularly affected, necessitating unprecedented measures from governments globally. These measures were designed to safeguard societies from the virus and ensure the availability of healthcare services for those in need. This article assesses the implementation of the third Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)—good health and well-being—in European Union (EU-26) countries before and during the pandemic. The analysis aimed to answer two basic questions: (1) To what extent has the level of implementation of SDG 3 changed in individual EU-26 member states during the study period? and (2) During the analyzed period, has there been a reduction or deepening of disparities in the implementation of SDG 3 between the EU-26 countries? The study covers the years from 2019 to 2021, spanning the pre-pandemic period and its subsequent duration. The evaluation of the goal’s implementation was based on indicators monitored by Eurostat and employed the dynamic linear ordering method. The analysis revealed significant variations in SDG 3 implementation among the EU-26 countries. Over the analyzed years, The Netherlands and Sweden consistently occupied the top positions in the rankings, while Lithuania, Latvia, and Romania lagged. The pandemic adversely impacted the achievement of SDG 3, with a decline in the synthetic indicator value observed in 16 of the 26 EU countries. Comparing the first and second years of the pandemic, it was noted that negative changes were especially pronounced in 2021, with the synthetic variable value decreasing in 19 countries relative to 2020. The most significant declines in the synthetic variable value in 2021, compared to 2019, were recorded in Slovakia, Latvia, and Lithuania. In contrast, the greatest increases in the synthetic variable value, indicating notable progress in achieving SDG 3 despite the pandemic, were observed in Cyprus, Luxembourg, and Finland.

Suggested Citation

  • Aneta Mikuła & Małgorzata Raczkowska & Monika Utzig, 2024. "Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being in European Union Countries in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-23, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:18:p:7921-:d:1475595
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/18/7921/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/18/7921/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Clay, Karen & Lewis, Joshua & Severnini, Edson, 2018. "Pollution, Infectious Disease, and Mortality: Evidence from the 1918 Spanish Influenza Pandemic," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 78(4), pages 1179-1209, December.
    2. Björn Mestdagh & Olivier Sempiga & Luc Van Liedekerke, 2023. "The Impact of External Shocks on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Linking the COVID-19 Pandemic to SDG Implementation at the Local Government Level," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-18, April.
    3. Yeasmin, Sabina & Banik, Rajon & Hossain, Sorif & Hossain, Md. Nazmul & Mahumud, Raju & Salma, Nahid & Hossain, Md. Moyazzem, 2020. "Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of children in Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    4. Abi Adams-Prassl & Teodora Boneva & Marta Golin & Christopher Rauh, 2022. "The impact of the coronavirus lockdown on mental health: evidence from the United States," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 37(109), pages 139-155.
    5. Dan Lupu & Ramona Tiganasu, 2022. "COVID-19 and the efficiency of health systems in Europe," Health Economics Review, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 1-15, December.
    6. Ana Gama & João Victor Rocha & Maria J. Marques & Sofia Azeredo-Lopes & Ana Rita Pedro & Sónia Dias, 2022. "How Did the COVID-19 Pandemic Affect Migrant Populations in Lisbon, Portugal? A Study on Perceived Effects on Health and Economic Condition," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-10, February.
    7. Tsoukalis, Loukas, 2003. "What Kind of Europe?," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199266661.
    8. Barbara Fura & Qingfang Wang, 2017. "The level of socioeconomic development of EU countries and the state of ISO 14001 certification," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 51(1), pages 103-119, January.
    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. Karen Clay & Joshua Lewis & Edson Severnini & Xiao Wang, 2024. "The Value of Health Insurance during a Crisis: Effects of Medicaid Implementation on Pandemic Influenza Mortality," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 106(5), pages 1393-1402, September.
    2. Shumon Zihady, 2023. "Dupchanchia Model of Students' drop-out control through engagement and appreciation after Covid-19: A Behavioral Policy intervention in the field administration of Bangladesh," Technium Social Sciences Journal, Technium Science, vol. 43(1), pages 136-148, May.
    3. Şeremet, Gülizar Gülcan & Konca, Murat, 2024. "Technical efficiency and its determinants in healthcare systems of underdeveloped countries," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    4. Sandro Provenzano & Sefi Roth & Lutz Sager, 2024. "Air Pollution and Respiratory Infectious Diseases," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 87(5), pages 1127-1139, May.
    5. Amanda Guimbeau & Nidhiya Menon & Aldo Musacchio, 2022. "Short‐ and medium‐run health and literacy impacts of the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic in Brazil," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 75(4), pages 997-1025, November.
    6. Jeong, Soyun & Fox, Ashley M., 2023. "Enhanced unemployment benefits, mental health, and substance use among low-income households during the COVID-19 pandemic," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 328(C).
    7. Correia, Sergio & Luck, Stephan & Verner, Emil, 2022. "Pandemics Depress the Economy, Public Health Interventions Do Not: Evidence from the 1918 Flu," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 82(4), pages 917-957, December.
    8. George Halkos & Stylianos Nomikos & Antonis Skouloudis, 2021. "Revisiting ISO 14001 diffusion among national terrains: panel data evidence from OECD countries and the BRIICS," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 23(4), pages 781-803, October.
    9. repec:hal:wpaper:hal-03740701 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Molina, Teresa & Cho, Yoon Y., 2024. "The Importance of Existing Social Protection Programs for Mental Health in Pandemic Times," IZA Discussion Papers 16737, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Dunfrey Pires Aragão & Andouglas Gonçalves da Silva Junior & Adriano Mondini & Cosimo Distante & Luiz Marcos Garcia Gonçalves, 2023. "COVID-19 Patterns in Araraquara, Brazil: A Multimodal Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-21, March.
    12. Philipp Ager & Katherine Eriksson & Ezra Karger & Peter Nencka & Melissa A. Thomasson, 2024. "School Closures during the 1918 Flu Pandemic," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 106(1), pages 266-276, January.
    13. Jaesang Sung & Will Davis & Qihua Qiu, 2024. "The effects of COVID‐19 lockdown on the body weight and lifestyle behaviors of U.S. adults," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 90(4), pages 900-948, April.
    14. Rui Esteves & Kris James Mitchener & Peter Nencka & Melissa A. Thomasson, 2022. "Do Pandemics Change Healthcare? Evidence from the Great Influenza," NBER Working Papers 30643, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    15. Pengyu Zhu & Xinying Tan & Mingshu Wang & Fei Guo & Shuai Shi & Zhizhao Li, 2023. "The impact of mass gatherings on the local transmission of COVID-19 and the implications for social distancing policies: Evidence from Hong Kong," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 18(2), pages 1-20, February.
    16. Manuel Denzer & Philipp Grunau, 2024. "The impacts of working from home on individual health and well-being," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 25(5), pages 743-762, July.
    17. Berasategi Sancho, Naiara & Idoiaga Mondragon, Nahia & Dosil Santamaria, Maria & Eiguren Munitis, Amaia, 2021. "The Well-being of children in lock-down: Physical, emotional, social and academic impact," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    18. Clay, Karen & Lewis, Joshua & Severnini, Edson, 2019. "What explains cross-city variation in mortality during the 1918 influenza pandemic? Evidence from 438 U.S. cities," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 42-50.
    19. Adam Pawlewicz & Katarzyna Pawlewicz, 2023. "The Risk of Agricultural Land Abandonment as a Socioeconomic Challenge for the Development of Agriculture in the European Union," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-24, February.
    20. Alexander Patzina & Matthias Collischon & Rasmus Hoffmann & Maksym Obrizan, 2025. "Mental health in Germany before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 20(1), pages 1-18, January.
    21. Munjireen Sifat & Maisha Huq & Mirza Baig & Naima Tasnim & Kerry M. Green, 2023. "An Examination of Barriers to Accessing Mental Health Care, and Their Association with Depression, Stress, Suicidal Ideation, and Wellness in a Bangladeshi University Student Sample," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-12, January.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    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:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:18:p:7921-:d:1475595. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.