Abstract
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is an example of a country that suffers from high water scarcity. Additionally, due to the economic drivers in the country, such as phosphate and potash extraction and pharmaceutical production, the little fresh water that remains is generally polluted. The infrastructure, often antiquated in urban areas and non-existent in rural areas, also contributes to poor water conditions and to the spread of waterborne diseases. This paper examines the socioeconomic factors that contribute to diarrhea and hepatitis A on a macro level in Jordan and discusses the public-policies that government officials could use to abate those problems. Ordinary least squares time series models are used to understand the macro-level variables that impact the incidence of these diseases in Jordan. Public health expenditure has a significant impact on reducing their incidence. Furthermore, investment in sanitation facilities in rural regions is likely to reduce the number of cases of hepatitis A. Perhaps the most surprising outcome is that importation of goods and services likely results in a decrease in cases of hepatitis A. However, income has little impact on the incidence of diarrhea and hepatitis A.
Highlights
Water, the vital element for social, environmental, and economic systems, is often not accessible for approximately 11% of the world’s population
Healthcare expenditure variables are important to the analysis presented in this paper since one can extrapolate that these expenditures have a negative relationship with waterborne diseases such as diarrhea and hepatitis A
In studies of diarrhea, hepatitis A, and life expectancy in Jordan, surveys are conducted in various towns and villages in the country to quantify the incidence of these diseases and to identify the specific organisms causing the problem
Summary
The vital element for social, environmental, and economic systems, is often not accessible for approximately 11% of the world’s population. Perhaps more than for other countries, macro-level socioeconomic factors (e.g., regional inequality; the standard of living; the unbalanced split rural/urban population; the level of imports of goods and services which would reduce the amount of water consumed for domestic production; the level of access to health care) contribute to an increased risk for waterborne illness and death. Even if these factors are extremely important for assessing and mitigating the impact of waterborne diarrhea and hepatitis A, only in the past decade or so have efforts been made to better understand their role [20].
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