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Assessment of the Association of Health with the Liberalisation of Trade in Services under the World Trade Organisation

Author

Listed:
  • Román Umaña-Peña
  • Álvaro Franco-Giraldo
  • Carlos Álvarez-Dardet Díaz
  • María Teresa Ruíz-Cantero
  • Diana Gil-González
  • Ildefonso Hernández-Aguado

Abstract

Background: The liberalisation of trade in services which began in 1995 under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has generated arguments for and against its potential health effects. Our goal was to explore the relationship between the liberalisation of services under the GATS and three health indicators - life expectancy (LE), under-5 mortality (U5M) and maternal mortality (MM) - since the WTO was established. Methods and Findings: This was a cross-sectional ecological study that explored the association in 2010 and 1995 between liberalisation and health (LE, U5M and MM), and between liberalisation and progress in health in the period 1995–2010, considering variables related to economic and social policies such as per capita income (GDP pc), public expenditure on health (PEH), and income inequality (Gini index). The units of observation and analysis were WTO member countries with data available for 2010 (n = 116), 1995 (n = 114) and 1995–2010 (n = 114). We conducted bivariate and multivariate linear regression analyses adjusted for GDP pc, Gini and PEH. Increased global liberalisation in services under the WTO was associated with better health in 2010 (U5M: −0.358 p

Suggested Citation

  • Román Umaña-Peña & Álvaro Franco-Giraldo & Carlos Álvarez-Dardet Díaz & María Teresa Ruíz-Cantero & Diana Gil-González & Ildefonso Hernández-Aguado, 2014. "Assessment of the Association of Health with the Liberalisation of Trade in Services under the World Trade Organisation," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(7), pages 1-7, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0102385
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0102385
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mendez Lopez, Ana & Loopstra, Rachel & McKee, Martin & Stuckler, David, 2017. "Is trade liberalisation a vector for the spread of sugar-sweetened beverages? A cross-national longitudinal analysis of 44 low- and middle-income countries," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 21-27.
    2. AIGHEYISI Oziengbe Scott & OLIGBI O. Blessing, 2019. "Trade Openness, Foreign Direct Investment And Life Expectancy In Nigeria," Annals of Faculty of Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, vol. 1(2), pages 351-365, December.
    3. Jani Vishalkumar J, 2017. "Is Trade in Services Healthier than Trade in Goods?," Global Economy Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 17(3), pages 1-7, September.

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