Role of Environmental Degradation, Institutional Quality, and Government Health Expenditures for Human Health: Evidence From Emerging Seven Countries

Abstract

The current study investigates the association of various economic, non-economic, governance, and environmental indicators on human health for seven emerging economies. Covering the period from 2000Q1 to 2018Q1, this study uses various panel data approaches for empirical estimations. The data is found first-order stationary. Besides, the panel slope is heterogeneous and cross-sectional dependence is present. Further, the cointegration association is found valid among the variables. Therefore, panel quantile regression is used to determine the long-run impact of each explanatory variable on human health at four quantiles (Q25, Q50, Q75, and Q90). The estimated results asserted that economic growth, government health expenditure, and human capital significantly reduce human health disasters like malaria incidences and cases. At the same time, greenhouse gas emissions and regulatory quality are significantly and positively correlated to human health issues in emerging economies. Moreover, mixed (unidirectional and bidirectional) causal associations exist between the variables. This study also provides relevant policy implications based on the empirical results, providing a path for regulating various economic, environmental, and governance sectors. Effective policy implementation and preventive measures can reduce the spread of diseases and mortality rates due to Malaria.

Governance Quality, Public Health, Education, and Innovation: Study for Novel Implications

“…Specifically, this study observed the occurrence or outbreak of fatal diseases and their implications in disturbing various economic, educational, and government policies. In this regard, this study opted to examine the influence of various economic and noneconomic indicators on malarial incidence ( MI ) as this fatal disease not only adversely affects human health but also influences economic and educational activities ( 10 ). Concerning the primarily focused variables, this study considered two variables, including the education expenditures ( EDU ) and the technological innovation ( TI ), since the MI could have a substantial influence on disturbing economic, educational, and technological activities.…”

“…Omri et al ( 7 ) found that increasing health and R&D expenses aid in improving health outcomes. Wei et al ( 10 ) scrutinized the relationship between government health expenses, human capital, economic growth, and human health considering malarial incidents and cases in emerging economies. The empirical findings demonstrated that improvement in health expenditures helps in reducing health disasters such as malarial cases and incidents in emerging nations depicting negative and Granger causes of malaria cases in the country.…”

“…Manuelli ( 23 ) suggested that investing in human capital can help in fighting against diseases like malaria and AIDS that become barricades to economic growth. Wei et al ( 10 ) found a bidirectional causal association between human capital and malarial incidences that human capital Granger causes in occurrence in incidents of malaria and vice versa .…”

“…Second, the purpose of the study was to examine the influence of human capital, technological innovation, and gross domestic product, besides government effectiveness, over malarial incidents (per 1,000 populations at risk) in the second model. To accomplish these objectives and following the study ( 10 ), the authors employed variables with the inclusion of other factors such as technological innovation, government effectiveness, human capital, education, and research and development to evaluate malarial incidences. Hence, for assessing the impact of various factors on incidents of malaria in emerging six countries, the association is investigated by causal analysis and panel data approaches.…”

“…The lack of existing literature and uncertain relationships on the effect of government effectiveness, human capital, education, technological innovation, and research and development on the incidence of Malaria led to this research. According to the available knowledge of authors, Wei et al ( 10 ) is the only novel study that has consciously examined the relationship between government health expenses, human capital, and GDP on malarial incidents and cases in the case of emerging economies. Despite this fact, some studies have emphasized the role of economic growth and health expenses on malaria cases and mortality rates.…”