The effect of economic development on population health: a review of the empirical evidence

Abstract

Background: Economic growth is considered an important determinant of population health.

Sources of data: Relevant studies investigating the effect of economic growth on health outcomes were identified from Google Scholar and PubMed searches in economics and medical journals.

Areas of agreement: Additional resources generated through economic growth are potentially useful for improving population health.

Areas of controversy: The empirical evidence on the aggregate effect of economic growth on population health is rather mixed and inconclusive.

Growing points: The causal pathways from economic growth to population health are crucial and failure or success in completing the pathways explains differences in empirical findings.

Areas timely for developing research: Future research should investigate how additional resources can more effectively reach those in need and how additional resources can be used more efficiently. It is particularly relevant to understand why preventive health care in developing countries is very price elastic whereas curative health care is very health inelastic and how this understanding can inform public health policy.

Keywords: economic development; population health.