Do Health Spending and Economic Growth Matter in Development? Evidence from Turkey

Abstract

Development is a multi-dimensional process that involves changes in social and economic structure. The study deals with the relationship between health spending (HS), economic growth per capita (RGDP), and development level (HDI). A country's healthcare situation is the key component of the development level. The study explores the interdependence in Turkey and aims to combine economic level and health aspects of development. Based on this idea, the relation between the variables is analyzed by using Johansen co-integration and causality tests. The data set covers the period from 1990-2019. The empirical findings of the study confirm a significant relationship between development level, health spending, and economic growth both in short term and long term in Turkey. The causality results showed only one-way causality was obtained, from HS to HDI and from GDP to HDI. Findings show that an increase in health spending and income level in Turkey affects development positively in the long run. A planned increase in health expenditures for sustainable development is presented as a future direction.

Keywords

• Health,
• Economic growth
• Development
• Co-integration
• Causality
• Turkey

Sağlık Harcamaları ve Ekonomik Büyüme Kalkınma Sürecinde Etkili mi: Türkiye Örneği

Abstract

Kalkınma, sosyal ve ekonomik yapıdaki değişiklikleri içeren çok boyutlu bir süreçtir. Çalışma, Türkiye'de sağlık harcamaları (HS), kişi başı ekonomik büyüme (KBGSYH) ve gelişmişlik düzeyi (HDI) arasındaki ilişkiyi ele almaktadır. Bir ülkenin sağlık durumu, kalkınma düzeyinin temel bileşeni ile ilgilidir. Bu çalışma, Türkiye'deki karşılıklı bağımlılığı araştırmakta ve kalkınmanın gelir düzeyi ile sağlık yönünü birleştirmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Bu fikirden hareketle, değişkenler arasındaki ilişki Johansen eşbütünleşme ve nedensellik testleri kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir. Veri seti 1990-2019 dönemini kapsamaktadır. Çalışmanın ampirik bulguları, Türkiye'de hem kısa hem de uzun vadede gelişmişlik düzeyi, sağlık harcamaları ve ekonomik büyüme arasında anlamlı bir ilişki olduğunu doğrulamaktadır. Nedensellik sonuçları, HS'den HDI'ye ve KBGSYH'den HDI’ye yalnızca tek yönlü nedensellik elde edildiğini göstermektedir. Bulgulara göre Türkiye'de sağlık harcamaları ve gelir düzeyindeki artış uzun vadede kalkınmayı olumlu yönde etkilemektedir. Sürdürülebilir bir kalkınma için sağlık harcamalarında planlı artışların devam ettirilmesi çalışma önerisi olarak sunulmaktadır.

Keywords

• Sağlık,
• Ekonomik büyüme
• Kalkınma
• Eşbütünleşme
• Nedensellik
• Türkiye

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