"Behöver befolkningen vara frisk för att landet ska få ekonomisk tillväxt?" : En tvärsnittsstudie om hälsans effekt på ekonomisk tillväxt i världens minst utvecklade länder

Sammanfattning: Health has long been referred to as a contributing development factor for economic growth, and health investments have been implemented as a strategy for achieving economic development. However, several countries have reached economic growth before improving health status, which raises questions of the significance of public health related to economic growth. The economic inequalities between countries tend to increase along with enlarged differences in health status, is there possibly a correlation between these occurrences? The purpose of this essay is to make a theoretical contribution by examining the impact of health on economic growth based on the world’s least developed countries (LDCs). This relationship has not been studied within these countries before and the essay intends to find out if basic health is a prerequisite for economic growth. The hypothesis of the study is a positive correlation between improvement of health status in a population within a country and its economic growth. Quantitative approach through a cross-sectional study of the independent variables health investments, initial GDP per capita, life expectancy and HIV along with the dependent variable of GDP per capita growth. Data from 48 LDCs during the period 1995 – 2015 was obtained. A regression analysis of Ordinary Least Squares, VIF-test and QQ-plot was performed through the computer program Gretl 2016c.  The variation in GDP per capita growth can be explained to 75 % by changes in the health-related variables. Previous theories regarding the positive effect on economic growth from increased health investments, lower initial GDP per capita and increased life expectancy were supported in this study. Health investments and initial GDP per capita showed a statistically significant correlation to economic growth. Life expectancy lacked significance, but was supported by previous research. The variable for HIV showed a positive correlation to economic growth, contrary to previous theories. The relationship can although be explained by insufficient data and low significance.