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Social Environment Determinants of Life Expectancy in Developing Countries: A Panel Data Analysis

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  • Fatin Aminah Hassan
  • Nobuaki Minato
  • Shuichi Ishida
  • Norashidah Mohamed Nor

Abstract

Despite remarkable improvements in health over the past 50 years, there still remain a great number of health challenges around the world. This study examined the relationship between life expectancy rate (as a proxy for health status) with health expenditure, gross domestic product, education index, improved water coverage, and improved sanitation facilities in 108 selected developing countries using annual panel data within the period of 2006–2010. The empirical results from using the panel data approach showed a positive relationship between life expectancy rate and all of those explanatory variables. The relationship between life expectancy with education index and gross domestic product were significant at 1% and 5% significance levels, respectively. Furthermore, the causality finding showed that there is no short-run causality between life expectancy and its determinants. There is a unidirectional causality running from the independent variables of health expenditure, education index, improved water, and improved sanitation to life expectancy at birth. On the other hand, bidirectional causality exists between life expectancy and income in the long-run by employing VECM test. These independent variables can be considered as important determinants for investment in health status in the long-run. This study could be used as a guideline and may be significant for future researchers and policy makers who aim to improve the life expectancy in developing countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Fatin Aminah Hassan & Nobuaki Minato & Shuichi Ishida & Norashidah Mohamed Nor, 2017. "Social Environment Determinants of Life Expectancy in Developing Countries: A Panel Data Analysis," Global Journal of Health Science, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 9(5), pages 105-105, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:ibn:gjhsjl:v:9:y:2017:i:5:p:105
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    Cited by:

    1. Nusrat Jafrin & Muhammad Mehedi Masud & Abu Naser Mohammad Saif & Masnun Mahi & Moriam Khanam, 2021. "A panel data estimation of the determinants of life expectancy in selected SAARC countries," Operations Research and Decisions, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Management, vol. 31(4), pages 69-87.
    2. Chika Priscilla Imoagwu & Uche Collins Nwogwugwu & Uju Regina Ezenekwe & Chris Ulua Kalu, 2023. "Food Production and Life Expectancy: Evidence from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 7(9), pages 2099-2112, September.
    3. Mehmet M. Dam & Funda Kaya & Festus V. Bekun, 2024. "On the nexus between real income, renewable energy consumption, and environmental sustainability on life expectancy for BRICS‐T countries: Accessing evidence from quantile regression," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 48(4), pages 1109-1135, November.
    4. Shaif Jarallah & Anak Agung Bagus Wirayuda & Mouyad Alsamara & Karim Barkat & Abdulaziz Al-Mahrezi & Moon Fai Chan, 2026. "Examining the impact of ecological deficit on life expectancy in GCC countries: a nonlinear panel data investigation," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 28(3), pages 7557-7593, March.
    5. Davide Grassi & Vincenzo Memoli, 2020. "Democracy and State Capacity as Determinants of Life Expectancy: Evidence From Latin America," Annals of the Fondazione Luigi Einaudi. An Interdisciplinary Journal of Economics, History and Political Science, Fondazione Luigi Einaudi, Torino (Italy), vol. 54(2), pages 233-258, December.
    6. Nzeh, Innocent Chile, . "Does Domestic Food Production Contribute to Improved Life Expectancy? Evidence from Low-Income Food-Deficit Countries (LIFDCS In Africa," International Journal of Food and Agricultural Economics (IJFAEC), Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Department of Economics and Finance, vol. 11(01).

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    JEL classification:

    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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