Examining The Role Of Health Expenditure, Insurance Penetration, And Environmental Factors In Life Expectancy Across G7 Countries

Öz

Life expectancy is directly related to the health conditions, economic welfare level and environmental sustainability efforts of individuals and is a basic indicator in directing development policies. In this context, determining the factors affecting life expectancy is important in terms of increasing the efficiency of health services, reducing environmental risks and making social security systems more inclusive. In this study, the effects of insurance penetration, per capita health expenditures, renewable energy consumption and air pollution on life expectancy in G7 countries between 2000-2022 were analyzed. G7 countries were included in the study due to their developed economic structures, widespread insurance systems and their effects on global health policies. In the analyses carried out using the panel data set, the two-stage system Generalized Method of Moments (System-GMM) was preferred, taking into account the non-stationary structures in the data set and the heterogeneity between countries. The findings obtained show that health expenditures, insurance penetration and renewable energy consumption positively affect life expectancy; on the other hand, air pollution has significant and negative effects on life expectancy. The results of the study reveal that integrated health, insurance and environmental policies to be developed in G7 countries can play a critical role in increasing life expectancy. In this context, it is recommended that policies aimed at increasing the coverage of social security systems, increasing the efficiency of health expenditures and reducing environmental risks should be addressed with a holistic approach in order to achieve sustainable development goals.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Life expectancy
• Insurance penetration
• Health expenditure
• Renewable energy
• Air pollution
• G7 countries

G7 Ülkelerinde Sağlık Harcamaları, Sigorta Penetrasyonu Ve Çevresel Faktörlerin Yaşam Beklentisi Üzerindeki Rolü

Öz

Yaşam beklentisi, bireylerin sağlık koşulları, ekonomik refah düzeyi ve çevresel sürdürülebilirlik çabalarıyla doğrudan ilişkili olup, kalkınma politikalarının yönlendirilmesinde temel bir gösterge niteliği taşımaktadır. Bu doğrultuda, yaşam beklentisini etkileyen faktörlerin belirlenmesi; sağlık hizmetlerinin verimliliğini artırmak, çevresel riskleri azaltmak ve sosyal güvenlik sistemlerini daha kapsayıcı hâle getirmek açısından önem arz etmektedir. Bu çalışmada, 2000-2022 yılları arasında G7 ülkelerinde sigorta penetrasyonu, kişi başına sağlık harcamaları, yenilenebilir enerji tüketimi ve hava kirliliğinin yaşam beklentisi üzerindeki etkileri analiz edilmiştir. G7 ülkeleri, gelişmiş ekonomik yapıları, yaygın sigorta sistemleri ve küresel sağlık politikaları üzerindeki etkileri nedeniyle çalışmaya dâhil edilmiştir. Panel veri seti kullanılarak gerçekleştirilen analizlerde, veri setinde yer alan durağan olmayan yapılar ve ülkeler arası heterojenlik dikkate alınarak iki aşamalı sistem Genelleştirilmiş Momentler Yöntemi (Sistem-GMM) tercih edilmiştir. Elde edilen bulgular, sağlık harcamaları, sigorta penetrasyonu ve yenilenebilir enerji tüketiminin yaşam beklentisini olumlu yönde etkilediğini; buna karşılık, hava kirliliğinin yaşam süresi üzerinde anlamlı ve olumsuz etkiler yarattığını göstermektedir. Çalışmanın sonuçları, G7 ülkelerinde geliştirilecek entegre sağlık, sigorta ve çevre politikalarının yaşam beklentisini artırmada kritik bir rol oynayabileceğini ortaya koymaktadır. Bu kapsamda, sürdürülebilir kalkınma hedeflerine ulaşmak için sosyal güvenlik sistemlerinin kapsayıcılığının artırılması, sağlık harcamalarının etkinliğinin yükseltilmesi ve çevresel risklerin azaltılmasına yönelik politikaların bütüncül bir yaklaşımla ele alınması önerilmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Yaşam beklentisi
• Sigorta penetrasyonu
• Sağlık harcamaları
• Yenilenebilir enerji
• Hava kirliliği
• G7 ülkeleri

Kaynakça

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