Health Outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa Countries: An Analysis of Key Determinants

Abstract

The poor health outcomes (low longevity and high mortalities) in developing countries has been great concern for citizens and policy makers alike. Although, numerous studies have focus on socio-economic drivers (like education, age of mothers, income levels, and poverty) of health outcomes in developing nations; however, the same is not true for important exogenous determinants. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of access to clean drinkable water, sanitation, fertility rate, prevalence of HIV/AIDS, health financing, and child immunization on health outcomes in sub-Sahara African (SSA) region. To achieve this, the study explored Pooled OLS, Fixed and Random Effects covering 46 countries in the region from 2000 to 2015. The findings reveal that population health outcomes - as measured by infant and under-five mortalities rates are related negatively with increase public health financing, timely children immunization, quality drinkable water supply, but directly associated with higher fertility rate, and HIV prevalence. For life expectancy at birth, increase government health spending, timely children immunization, and quality drinkable water supply are positively predicted, while relate inversely with higher fertility rate, and HIV prevalence. The findings therefore suggest that for SSA countries to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal three of ensuring healthy lives before 2030; emphasis should on increasing public health financing, and provision of infrastructural facilities like clean water supply and sanitation. Again, greater attention should be on enhancing child immunization, reducing fertility rates and HIV prevalence in the region.

Effectiveness of public health spending: Investigating the moderating role of governance using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM)

“…Limited research has evaluated the PHS–PHO relationship in developing regions, notably SSA, where results have been inconclusive. Some SSA studies have shown that PHS improves PHO [ 23 , 51 , 52 , 61 ], but others have not [ 2 , 18 , 33 , 57 ]. Most of these studies have solely examined the ultimate impact of the PHS on PHO as evaluated by mortality-based indicators, such as under-5-years mortality and life expectancy.…”

The Effect of Healthcare Expenditure on the Health Outcomes in Sub-Saharan African Countries

“…Some of the studies proved no relationship between health care expenditures and its outcome. For instance, for the years 1995 -2013, the effect of public health expenditure on health outcomes was studied by Popoola [18] in Tanzania. A full Bayesian time series approach was used and results showed that government health expenditure had no impact on health outcomes like an infant and under-five mortality.…”

The effectiveness of public health spending in Sub-Saharan Africa.

“…The exact association between the PHS and population health outcomes in SSA is ambiguous. Some studies have indicated that PHS is effective in improving population health outcomes (Nyamuranga & Shin, 2019;Arthur & Oaikhenan, 2017;Oladosu et al, 2022), whereas others maintain that it is not (Akinlo & Sulola, 2019;Popoola, 2018).…”

“…For example, Popoola (2018) and Ogungbenle et al (2013) discovered that PHS did not affect neonatal mortality, under-five mortality, or life expectancy at birth (Ogungbenle et al, 2013;Popoola, 2018). Furthermore, using the GMM method, Kamiya (2010) analysed the factors contributing to child mortality in low-income countries, including SSA, and discovered that higher PHS levels did not reduce child mortality (Kamiya, 2010).…”