Health and income: analyzing the impacts on life expectancy in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico

Abstract

This article intends to discuss the correlation that the income inequality and health expenses variables present in the life expectancy of the population of Brazil, Argentina and Mexico in the period from 2000 to 2018, with the countries chosen by the highlight of the Gross Domestic Product they have in relation to other Latin American countries. For this purpose, Pearson's correlation, multiple regression and ANOVA were used as methods of quantitative analysis based on data collected from the World Bank and the World Health Organization. Among the main results found, there is a strong correlation between life expectancy and per capita health expenditures, as well as with the Gini coefficient that measures income inequality. Such behaviors are justifiable because, according to the literature, the lower the income inequality, the greater the life expectancy in the population. As well as the rise in per capita health spending also contributes to increasing life expectancy.