THE IMPACT OF ECONOMIC GROWTH, PHYSICIAN DENSITY, AND STUDENT-TEACHER RATIO ON LIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH: EVIDENCE FROM BELGIUM

Year 2025, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 126 - 141, 21.10.2025

İsmail Biçer , Murat Konca

https://doi.org/10.71284/jpepfm.202522

Abstract

Doğuşta beklenen yaşam süresi (DBYS), mevcut koşulların ömür boyu devam edeceği varsayımıyla, yeni doğan bir bebeğin ortalama kaç yıl yaşayacağının tahminidir. Bu çalışma, Belçika’da ekonomik büyümenin, 1000 kişiye düşen hekim sayısının ve öğretmen başına düşen öğrenci sayısının DBYS üzerindeki etkisini incelemektedir. İlk olarak, analiz 1970’ten 2017’ye kadar olan verileri kullanmakta ve Otoregresif Dağıtılmış Gecikmeli (ARDL) sınır testi yaklaşımını uygulamaktadır. ARDL bulgularının sağlamlığını doğrulamak amacıyla, çalışmada ayrıca Tam Düzenlenmiş En Küçük Kareler (FMOLS), Dinamik En Küçük Kareler (DOLS) ve Kanonik Eşbütünleşme Regresyonu (CCR) yöntemleri de kullanılmaktadır. Bu ek yöntemler, sonuçların güvenilirliğini artırmaktadır. ARDL analizi, kısa ve uzun vadede DBYS ile ekonomik büyüme ya da öğrenci–öğretmen oranı arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir ilişki bulunmadığını ortaya koymaktadır. Ancak, 1000 kişiye düşen hekim sayısı ile DBYS arasında pozitif ve anlamlı bir ilişki gözlemlenmiştir. FMOLS, DOLS ve CCR tahminleri de bu bulgularla tutarlıdır ve hekim yoğunluğu ile DBYS arasında pozitif ve istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir ilişki göstermektedir. Ayrıca, bu yöntemler DBYS ile öğrenci–öğretmen oranı arasında negatif ve anlamlı bir ilişki olduğunu da ortaya koymaktadır.

Keywords

Yaşam Süresinin Belirleyicileri , Zaman Serileri , ARDL

THE IMPACT OF ECONOMIC GROWTH, PHYSICIAN DENSITY, AND STUDENT-TEACHER RATIO ON LIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH: EVIDENCE FROM BELGIUM

Abstract

Life expectancy at birth (LEAB) denotes the average number of years a newborn is anticipated to live, assuming current conditions persist throughout their lifetime. This study investigates the influence of economic growth, the number of physicians per 1,000 inhabitants, and the student–teacher ratio on LEAB in Belgium. Initially, the analysis utilizes data spanning from 1970 to 2017 and applies the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach. To validate the robustness of the ARDL findings, the study further employs Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS), Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS), and Canonical Cointegrating Regression (CCR) techniques. These additional methods enhance the reliability of the results. The ARDL analysis reveals no statistically significant relationship between LEAB and either economic growth or the student–teacher ratio in both the short and long run. However, a positive and significant association is observed between LEAB and the number of physicians per 1,000 individuals. Consistent with these findings, FMOLS, DOLS, and CCR estimations also indicate a positive and statistically significant relationship between LEAB and physician density. Furthermore, these methods identify a negative and significant correlation between LEAB and the student–teacher ratio.

Keywords

Determinants of Life Expectancy , Time series , ARDL

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