Factors Impacting Life Expectancy in Bahrain: Evidence from 1971 to 2020 Data

Abstract

The factors impacting life expectancy (LE) are important to a country as LE reflects the essential quality of its population. Previous studies showed that other than economic factors, health status and resources (HSR) and sociodemographic (SD) also affect LE. This area has not been previously studied in Bahrain, especially in the past five decades. Hence, this study aims to develop an explanatory model for HSR, macroeconomic (ME), and SD factors on LE in Bahrain. The research was a retrospective, time-series design that collected the annual published data on SD, ME, HSR, and LE in Bahrain's population from 1971 to 2020. The data were analyzed using the partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method. The result shows that ME (0.463, P < .001) and HSR (0.595, P < .001) have significant direct effects on LE. ME has an indirect effect (0.488, P < .001) on LE via SD and HSR, and SD has an indirect effect (0.496, P < .001) on LE through HSR. During the socioeconomic downturn, the health resources provision should not be reduced as it directly affects LE. An integrated policy addressing socioeconomic and health-related factors could protect the future of Bahrain's population health outcomes.

The Impact of Sociodemographic, Macroeconomic, and Health Status and Resources on Infant Mortality Rates in Oman: Evidence from 1980 to 2022

“…CB-SEM technique is used mostly to either affirm or debunk hypotheses [54]. At the same time, PLS-SEM is chiefly concerned with helping to develop or create theories in exploratory-focused studies [55,56] and has been used on other health indicators, e.g., life expectancy, in Bahrain [46]. This study is exploratory, intending to discover which explanatory variables significantly affect IMR in Oman and investigate how they may interact with each other.…”

“…Furthermore, any item in this study that was found to have 20% missing data or more will be excluded and is considered ineligible to be entered into the analysis procedure entirely. In this study, multiple regression imputation was the primary technique to complete the dataset's gaps [46].…”

“…The proposed conceptual model was developed based on previous studies [44][45][46][47] and the results from a systematic review [29]. Overall, this study intends to examine the effect of multiple explanatory variables on IMR in Oman using structural equation modeling (SEM).…”

Unlocking the Secrets of Longevity: Exploring the Impact of Socioeconomic Factors and Health Resources on Life Expectancy in Oman and Qatar

“…38 From the HSR perspective, studies in Southeast Asia and Bahrain have shown a significant positive correlation between the percentage of vaccinated individuals (for diseases such as BCG, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, and DPT) and LE. 3,36 Inversely, air pollution and water contamination can pose serious health risks, leading to a range of health conditions such as respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and diarrheal diseases, all of which can shorten LE. 39 Inadequate sanitation and lack of access to clean water can expose individuals to a variety of infectious diseases, which contribute to mortality, hence reducing LE.…”

“…2 Also, Social determinants of health (SDoH) have been meticulously examined in various contexts in relation to LE, underscoring the essentiality of understanding how macroeconomic (ME), sociodemographic (SD), and health status and resources (HSR) factors intertwine to shape LE longitudinally. 3 Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members exhibit similarities in socioeconomic fabric, cultural norms, and epidemiological profiles. 4 These nations have historically tethered their economies to the oil industry, a decision that significantly amplified their income status and facilitated the development of robust healthcare systems.…”