EVALUATION IMPACT OF THE ECONOMIC COSTS OF MALNUTRITION DISEASES OF EGYPT’S SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

The study aims to refer to one of the major problems that impedes sustainable development, as well as to clarify the additional costs resulting from malnutrition and the extent to which it affects economic growth. The analytical descriptive approach was used to form the theoretical framework of the study. The study also measures the direct costs of malnutrition as actual values through a sample of 500 patients at Al Batinah Hospital - Ain Shams University. For evaluating sustainable development, the researcher used Public Health Index (Malnutrition Diseases) as health indicator is one of sustainable development measures, and high health costs which cause limited saving and investment which, in turn, negatively affects economic growth. The researcher collected data through a questionnaire form as a major research tool. Then data were analyzed statistically by SPSS. The research results show the impact of malnutrition on economic costs that, in turn, affect sustainable development, the study found a significant effect between diseases accompanied with malnutrition and health costs, a significant effect between the level of costs and malnutrition in the different sections of the hospital and a significant effect Between periods of stay in the hospital and health costs. The researchers recommend that a development of the department of health costs in the faculties of commerce and economics at Egyptian universities should be considered, as well as the use of the current study’s questionnaire for early detection of malnutrition and, finally, the study recommends supporting future studies related to malnutrition diseases and their impact on the economy.