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The Economic Case for Devoting Public Resources to Health

Author

Listed:
  • Bloom, David E.

    (Harvard School of Public Health)

  • Fink, Günther

    (Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute)

Abstract

The world has enjoyed huge improvements in population health during the last half century. But major health problems persist, particularly in tropical countries, which are still struggling with infectious diseases while increasingly having to deal with noncommunicable diseases. Several classic arguments for public spending on health have buttressed governments' efforts to improve health. These efforts have now been further spurred by new economic arguments that better population health may promote economic well-being – via beneficial changes in labor productivity, education, and investment, and through demographic change. The economic consequences of improved health can be large, but realizing them depends on the policies adopted in myriad other arenas.

Suggested Citation

  • Bloom, David E. & Fink, Günther, 2013. "The Economic Case for Devoting Public Resources to Health," IZA Policy Papers 57, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izapps:pp57
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    Cited by:

    1. Elizabeth T Cafiero-Fonseca & Andrew Stawasz & Sydney T Johnson & Reiko Sato & David E Bloom, 2017. "The full benefits of adult pneumococcal vaccination: A systematic review," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(10), pages 1-23, October.
    2. Narayan, Laxmi, 2015. "Health Disparities in Haryana - A District Level Analysis," MPRA Paper 64478, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Titus J. Galama & Hans van Kippersluis, 2015. "A Theory of Education and Health," CINCH Working Paper Series 1503, Universitaet Duisburg-Essen, Competent in Competition and Health, revised Mar 2015.
    4. Tony Addison & Ville Pikkarainen & Risto Rönkkö & Finn Tarp, 2017. "Development and poverty in sub-Saharan Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series 169, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    5. Tony Addison & Ville Pikkarainen & Risto Rönkkö & Finn Tarp, 2017. "Development and poverty in sub-Saharan Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2017-169, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    investment in health; labor productivity; education; demographic change; health gaps;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • H51 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Health

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