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The Determinants of Health Status in Sub-Saharan Africa (Ssa)

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  • Bichaka Fayissa
  • Paulos Gutema

Abstract

This study examines the determinants of health status (as measured by life expectancy at birth) in SSA based on the Grossman (1972) theoretical model which considers the economic (the ratio of health expenditure to GDP and the per capita food availability index), social (the illiteracy rate and alcohol consumption), and environmental factors (urbanization rate and carbon dioxide emission per capita index). The coefficients of the health status function are estimated by one-way and two-way panel data analyses. The two-way random-effect model results suggest that a decrease in illiteracy rate and an increase in the food availability index are well positively associated with improvements in life expectancy at birth. Overall results also suggest that a health policy that may focus on the provision of health services, family planning programs, and emergency aids to the exclusion of other demographic issues may serve little in schemes aimed at improving the current health status of the region.

Suggested Citation

  • Bichaka Fayissa & Paulos Gutema, 2005. "The Determinants of Health Status in Sub-Saharan Africa (Ssa)," The American Economist, Sage Publications, vol. 49(2), pages 60-66, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:amerec:v:49:y:2005:i:2:p:60-66
    DOI: 10.1177/056943450504900207
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Issam Khelfaoui & Yuantao Xie & Muhammad Hafeez & Danish Ahmed & Houssem Eddine Degha & Hicham Meskher, 2022. "Information Communication Technology and Infant Mortality in Low-Income Countries: Empirical Study Using Panel Data Models," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-24, June.
    2. Olusanya Ajakaiye & Tayo Fakiyesi & Mutiu Oyinlola, 2009. "Impact of the Global Financial Crisis on the Social Services Sector in Ghana and Nigeria," CESifo Forum, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 10(4), pages 36-42, January.
    3. Jeffrey Kouton & Rafiou R. Bétila & Moïse Lawin, 2021. "The Impact of ICT Development on Health Outcomes in Africa: Does Economic Freedom Matter?," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 12(4), pages 1830-1869, December.
    4. Faisal Abbas & Haroon Sarwar Awan, 2018. "What Determines Health Status of Population in Pakistan?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 139(1), pages 1-23, August.

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