OBJECTIVES: We report new evidence on the contribution of health expenditure to increasing life expectancy in OECD countries, differentiating the effects of public and private health expenditures. METHODS: A theoretical model is presented and estimated though a cross-country fixed effects multiple regression analysis for a sample of OECD countries over the period 1980-2000. RESULTS: Although the effect of aggregate health expenditure is not conclusive, public health expenditure plays a significant role in enhancing longevity. However, its influence diminishes as the size of the public health sector on GDP expands, reaching a maximum around the 8 %. CONCLUSIONS: With the influence of public health expenditure being positive, the ambiguous effect of the aggregate expenditure suggests that the weight of public and private health sectors matters, the second having a lower impact on longevity. This might explain the poor evolution of the life expectancy in countries with a high amount of private resources devoted to health. In such cases, an extension of public services could give rise to a better outcome from the overall health investment.
OBJECTIVES: We report new evidence on the contribution of health expenditure to increasing life expectancy in OECD countries, differentiating the effects of public and private health expenditures. METHODS: A theoretical model is presented and estimated though a cross-country fixed effects multiple regression analysis for a sample of OECD countries over the period 1980-2000. RESULTS: Although the effect of aggregate health expenditure is not conclusive, public health expenditure plays a significant role in enhancing longevity. However, its influence diminishes as the size of the public health sector on GDP expands, reaching a maximum around the 8 %. CONCLUSIONS: With the influence of public health expenditure being positive, the ambiguous effect of the aggregate expenditure suggests that the weight of public and private health sectors matters, the second having a lower impact on longevity. This might explain the poor evolution of the life expectancy in countries with a high amount of private resources devoted to health. In such cases, an extension of public services could give rise to a better outcome from the overall health investment.
Authors: Wasim Maziak; Julia Critchley; Shahaduz Zaman; Nigel Unwin; Simon Capewell; Kathleen Bennett; Belgin Unal; Abdullatif Husseini; Habiba Ben Romdhane; Peter Phillimore Journal: Int J Public Health Date: 2012-10-31 Impact factor: 3.380
Authors: Oana-Ramona Socoliuc Guriță; Nicoleta Sîrghi; Dănuţ-Vasile Jemna; Mihaela David Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-04-22 Impact factor: 4.614