Impact of Socio-economic Factors in Reducing Malnutrition among Children: A comparative study of India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka

The Economy and Suicide.

This longitudinal evaluation of gender inequalities and economic growth addresses key questions in the evolving debate over the character of gender differentiation and the goals of womens empowerment. These questions include: 1) whether the impact of strategies of economic growth served to enhance or undermine the status of women; 2) whether changes in the status of women were accompanied by significant changes in gender inequality; and 3) the implications for existing debates. Section I reviews several sets of literature pertinent to the questions using three general approaches: modernization-neoclassical women in development and gender and development. Section II presents the data and methods used in the evaluation. The research assessed the contending interpretations reviewed in the first section by combining another set of cross-sectional and longitudinal data on womens status and inequalities between men and women with other existing indicators. Section III discusses the results in the following order: 1) cross-sectional patterns in womens status; 2) trends in womens status; 3) cross-sectional patterns in inequality between men and women; 4) trends in inequality between men and women; and 5) conclusion. Finally section IV presents an overall discussion of the findings of the whole longitudinal evaluation.

To determine the incremental increases in health care utilization and expenditures associated with sleep disorders. Adults with a diagnosis of a sleep disorder (International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, code G47.x) within the medical conditions file of the 2018 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey medical conditions file were identified. This dataset was then linked to the consolidated expenditures file and comparisons in health care utilization and expenditures were made between those with and without sleep disorders. Multivariate analyses, adjusted for demographics and comorbidities, were conducted for these comparisons. Overall, 5.6% ± 0.2% of the study population had been diagnosed with a sleep disorder, representing approximately 13.6 ± 0.6 million adults in the United States. Those with sleep disorders were more likely to be non-Hispanic, White, and female, with a higher proportion with public insurance and higher Charlson Comorbidity Scores. Adults with sleep disorders were found to have increased utilization of office visits (16.3 ± 0.8 vs 8.7 ± 0.3, P < .001), emergency room visits (0.52 ± 0.03 vs 0.37 ± 0.02, P < .001), and prescriptions (39.7 ± 1.2 vs 21.9 ± 0.4, P < .001) vs those without sleep disorders. The additional incremental health care expenses for those with sleep disorders were increased in all examined measures: total health care expense ($6,975 ± $800, P < .001), total office-based expenditures ($1,694 ± $277, P < .001), total prescription expenditures ($2,574 ± $364, P < .001), and total self-expenditures for prescriptions ($195 ± $32, P < .001). Sleep disorders are associated with significantly higher rates of health care utilization and expenditures. By using the conservative prevalence estimate found in this study, the overall incremental health care costs of sleep disorders in the United States represents approximately $94.9 billion. Huyett P, Bhattacharyya N. Incremental health care utilization and expenditures for sleep disorders in the United States. J Clin Sleep Med. 2021;17(10):1981-1986.

The aim of this paper is to investigate the relationship between health care expenditure (HCE) and economic growth and to the causality between HCE and economic growth in the selected South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries by employing the Panel cointegration and panel causality analysis over the period 1995–2012. Per capita income, labor force, literacy rate, and elderly population of age 65 and above are used an independent variables, as these variables are considered as main indicator of human and physical capital. For examining the time series properties of the data and long run relationships between HCE and economic growth, the panel unit root and panel cointegration tests are employed. The panel Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) method is used to estimate long run parameters, whereas the Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR) method is employed to estimate the short run parameters. For the panel causality among HCE and per capita GDP, a new technique developed by Dumitrescu and Hurlin (2012) is used. The results reveal that income elasticity of HCE is less than unity in the long run as well as in the short run. Furthermore, there is an evidence of unidirectional causality running from per capita GDP to HCE in the South Asian countries in the short run. Two-way causation between per capita GDP, labor force, literacy rate, and elderly population of age 65 and above is also observed. We also found two-way causality between labor force, elderly population of age 65 and health care expenditure.

As economic development advances, there is an increasing focus on improving health conditions, making healthcare expenditure a critical issue worldwide. In China, healthcare spending has shown a marked upward trend, highlighting the importance of understanding its underlying determinants to guide effective policy-making. This study introduces the application of an SV-TVP-FAVAR model to examine the drivers of healthcare expenditure in China from 2007 to 2022. The analysis reveals that economic factors, demographic composition, and policy interventions significantly influence healthcare spending dynamics. Economic growth is strongly linked to increased healthcare expenditure, with economic factors having a particularly pronounced impact during periods of prosperity. Although an aging population drives greater demand for healthcare, the growth rate of healthcare spending has not kept pace with demographic aging, especially following China's economic slowdown. Policy variables present a dual-edged impact: while increased fiscal outlays contribute to budget deficits, limiting the fiscal space for healthcare investment, government emphasis on scientific and technological progress tends to enhance healthcare spending, indicating a synergistic relationship between these areas. Furthermore, the study identifies a prolonged impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare expenditure, which continues to interact with other driving factors over an extended period. The empirical findings from this research provide crucial evidence to support the development of informed healthcare policies.

A THEORY of human capital is in the process of formulation. The primary question is "What is the contribution of changes in the quality of people to economic growth?" The academic economists first raised the question after their research showed that production in developed economies had been increasing much faster than could be explained by inputs of physical capital and additions to the labor force. But the wide interest which the question has aroused indicates much more than academic curiosity. It reflects the desires and aspirations of people throughout the world-people anxious to add weight to their demands for action against disease and illiteracy by showing that such action is not only humanitarian, but will make a major contribution to economic growth as well. Though research on the return to investment in people is barely getting started, even the most tentative conclusions have been widely quoted. Preliminary indications that the rate of return on investment in people is high have been seized upon in a growing number of countries as justification for in-

Trends in National Spending on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control in Thailand from 2008 to 2013

This research examines the impacts of economic (ECON) factors, ESG factors, and artificial intelligence (AI) factors on energy transition (ET) in 33 OECD countries. The CS-ARDL model is utilized to analyze both long-term links and short-term dynamics in panel datasets, accounting for cross-sectional dependence, between 2002 and 2020. The findings indicate that while economic factors (ECON) negatively affect energy transition (ET), environmental factors (E) positively affect it. However, while social factors and AI demonstrate negative relationships with ET, governance factors demonstrate positive relationships. Finally, the impact of ECON-ESG on energy transition (ET) is negative. Some inferences and policy implications are as follows: (i) The negative effects of economic factors (ECON) on ET suggest that focusing on energy transition through only economic growth cannot be enough. Economic growth should be integrated into the energy transition by increasing energy efficiency. (ii) The negative effect of artificial intelligence (AI) on ET can be interpreted as the high investment costs of AI technologies may make energy transition projects challenging to finance and reduce their applicability. Policymakers can develop innovative financing models to finance energy transition projects related to AI technologies. For example, they can establish performance-based financing models for energy efficiency services. (iii) The negative effect of broad-based sustainability (ECON-ESG) with additional economic factors (ECON) to ESG on ET can be interpreted as follows. Some economic policies may contradict environmental, social, and government policies. For example, policies encouraging short-term economic growth can damage long-term environmental and social impacts, negatively impacting the energy transition. Adopting a holistic approach that integrates economic, environmental, social, governance, and artificial intelligence factors is critical for policymakers to accelerate energy transition and achieve sustainable development goals.

The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of economic and social factors on child mortality in South Asian countries. Economic factors consist of economic growth, private and public health expenditures while social factors are comprised of access to improved water sources, access to improved sanitation facilities, and environmental quality. This study collected the data from World Development Indicators (WDI) over the period of 1967-2016. This study utilized Johnson co-integration test to investigate the long run co-integration. The study found that long-run co-integration exits among the modeled variables. The results of long-run co-integration recommend that Auto Regressive Distributive Lag (ARDL) is appropriate to examine the short-run relationship among the modeled variables. The study found that access to improve water and sanitation facilities, environmental quality, total health expenditure, and economic growth significantly and negatively affect child survival. Moreover, the study has also investigated private and public health expenditure on child mortality separately and found that the size of the impact of public health expenditure is greater than private health expenditure. This study guides the policy makers and international agencies that in order to meet the required rate of child mortality they should invest more in the health sector and should provide clean water, sanitation facilities to its residents. Moreover, the study recommends that the government should revise environmental policies to lower the child mortality rate.

To investigate factors influencing maternal health care utilisation in western rural China and its relation to income before (2002) and after (2007) introducing a new rural health insurance system (NCMS). Data from cross-sectional household-based health surveys carried out in ten western rural provinces of China in 2003 and 2008 were used in the study. The study population comprised women giving birth in 2002 or 2007, with 917 and 809 births, respectively. Correlations between outcomes and explanatory variables were studied by logistic regression models and a log-linear model. Between 2002 and 2007, having no any pre-natal visit decreased from 25% to 12% (difference 13%, 95% CI 10-17%); facility-based delivery increased from 45% to 80% (difference 35%, 95% CI 29-37%); and differences in using pre-natal and delivery care between the income groups narrowed. In a logistic regression analysis, women with lower education, from minority groups, or high parity were less likely to use pre-natal and delivery care in 2007. The expenditure for facility-based delivery increased over the period, but the out-of-pocket expenditure for delivery as a percentage of the annual household income decreased. In 2007, it was 14% in the low-income group. NCMS participation was found positively correlated with lower out-of-pocket expenditure for facility-based delivery (coefficient -1.14 P < 0.05) in 2007. Facility-based delivery greatly increased between 2002 and 2007, coinciding with the introduction of the NCMS. The rural poor were still facing substantial payment for facility-based delivery, although NCMS participation reduced the out-of-pocket expenditure on average.

Background Menopausal symptoms can have a significant impact on a woman's quality of life. Information on availability of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) in National Essential Medicines Lists (NEMLs) of South Asian (SA) countries has not been widely studied. Objective To review the availability of non-injectable MHT included in NEMLs of SA countries and to assess differences in availability compared to the recommended MHT preparations in the World Health Organization (WHO) model essential medicines list and the list of MHT available to women of a developed country in the Asia Pacific Region, while comparing with the healthcare expenditure and country's economic status. Methods Most recent NEMLs were obtained from all eight SA counties by visiting the Ministry of health/regulatory website of the respective country. Latest WHO model essential medicines list and Pharmaceuticals Benefits Scheme (PBS) schedule from Australia were obtained from the WHO and PBS websites respectively. Per capita health expenditure was obtained from The WHO Global Health Expenditure Database. Two investigators extracted the non-injectable MHT preparations independently from NEMLs and conducted the comparison. Results Except in two countries, in all other SA coun­tries NEMLs were updated within the preceding five years. According to available data, seven SA countries had at least one separate preparation of oestrogen suitable for MHT while all countries had a separate progesterone preparation suitable for MHT. The oestrogen preparations available in the SA NEMLs were limited to either ethinyl estradiol or conjugated oestrogen tablets whilst in the WHO model, oestrogen preparations were not specified. In Australia, estradiol tablets were the only available oral oestrogen while there were four more different dosage forms of oestrogens available through the PBS Scheme. Progesterone preparations found in SA countries, WHO list and PBS schedule were similar, but oestrogen progesterone combination MHT preparations were only available in the PBS schedule. Per capita health expenditure was much higher in Australia compared to SA countries where a wide variation was observed. Conclusions The available evidence suggests that a larger population of SA women have access only to a very limited number of options if in need of MHT. In contrast, importance of MHT is highlighted in PBS Schedule. Although per capita health expenditure was low in SA countries, given that MHT products are relatively low cost and that there is a large proportion of women in menopausal age in this region, it would be imperative to update the WHO model list and NEMLs of SA countries to address the growing need of safe MHT and to improve the quality of life of postlnenopausal women in our region.

Background: Socioeconomic status, as a major determinant of health, has a considerable impact on the cancer survival rate. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of socioeconomic factors on the 5-year survival rate for the most common cancer types in 56 countries. Methods: In this ecological study, 5-year survival data for gastric cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, and leukemia during the period of 2005-2009 and socioeconomic factors including gross domestic product (GDP), life expectancy, literacy rate, urbanization and healthcare expenditure were extracted from the CONCORD-2 study and the World Bank database, respectively. multivariate regression analysis was used to estimate the model with the ordinary least-squares (OLS) method using Stata 14 software. Results: The GDP coefficient for breast cancer, cervical cancer, and leukemia was positive and significant. No correlation was identified between gastric, colon, lung, ovarian, and prostate cancer and GDP. Gastric, colon, breast, and prostate cancers had a positive and significant correlation with life expectancy. In contrast, no significant correlation was found between lung cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, leukemia and life expectancy. There was no correlation between cancer survival rate and literacy rate, or urbanization. There was only a positive correlation between prostate cancer and healthcare expenditure. Furthermore, there was no statistically significant relationship between gastric and ovarian cancers and socioeconomic variables. Finally, GDP and life expectancy had the most significant impact on cancer survival rates. Conclusion: Different countries can play a key role in increasing cancer survival rates by implementing policies to improve economic and social factors.

Background:Health outcomes in spondyloarthritis (SpA) are largely determined by socioeconomic (SE) factors, leading to the great inequity observed between countries across the world. However, the impact of these SE factors...

In recent times, the incidence of students dropping out of school education has been increasing. This situation negatively affects students’ future lives and has also become a factor influencing the educational development trajectory of Sri Lanka. Against this background, this study was conducted to examine the impact of socio-economic factors on student dropout in Tamil-medium secondary schools in Division 01 of the Nuwara Eliya Education Zone in Sri Lanka. The objectives of the study were to identify: the current status of student dropout; the economic and social factors influencing dropout; and the measures taken at the school level to reduce student dropout. The study was designed using a descriptive survey method and a mixed-method approach. Eighteen Tamil-medium secondary schools were selected for the study. Using purposive sampling, 54 teachers, 18 principals, 44 parents, and 66 dropout students were selected as the sample. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and document analysis. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods, including mean and standard deviation, as well as thematic analysis. The findings revealed that the average dropout rate over the past three years was 25%. The dropout rate was higher among male students compared to female students, and higher among students in Grades 9–11 compared to those in Grades 6–8. Among the economic factors, parental poverty (M = 4.8) and living separately from parents (M = 4.7) had a very high level of influence. Additionally, failure to meet basic needs (M = 3.8) and parents’ occupational status (M = 3.7) showed a moderately high level of influence. Among the social factors, early marriage (M = 4.6), engagement in household work or urban employment (M = 4.6), and family problems (M = 4.7) had a very high level of influence. Similarly, association with over-age peers (M = 3.9) and sexual abuse (M = 3.9) were found to have a moderately high impact. Furthermore, the study found that the measures implemented at the school level to reduce student dropout were neither sufficient nor satisfactory. It is suggested that student dropout can be reduced to some extent through the effective and collaborative implementation of activities aimed at promoting students’ continuous learning.

Introduction. Health care, as one of the most important and sensitive fields of human endeavour, has a significant social impact; therefore changes in this area have wide implications on society in general. The latest economic crisis resulted in slow growth of gross domestic product (GDP), high unemployment rates, low living standards, and increased poverty across the globe. This includes decreased capacity of health system, and reduced quality and supply of health services. The aim of the study was to explore possible impact of the current world economic crisis on the public health sector workforce in Serbia. Materials and Methods. The study was conducted as retrospective analyses of the Public Health Institute (PHI) human resource data, the Republic Statistical Office publications and database, the Republic Development Bureau report, as well as the analysis of healthcare expenditures obtained from the Chamber of Health Institutions reports. The comparative analytical method was used for the assessment of socio-economic and human resource indicators over the period of five years, 2006 to 2010. Results. Results showed that the world economic crisis discontinued steady economic growth in Serbia. Between 2006 and 2008, the real GDP growth rate has been fluctuating between 3.6% and 5.4 %, while in 2009 it had negative growth rate of -3.1 % and slight increase in 2010 of 1.0%. In 2006, the GDP per capita was US$ 3,943, and by 2008 it almost doubled reaching US$ 6,498, while in 2009 it fell down to US$ 5,499, and continued decrease in 2010 to US$ 5,006. In 2007, the overall inflation rate was 6.5%, and after fluctuaion between 11.7% in 2008 and 8.4% in 2009 it droped again to 6.5% in 2010. According to the PHI, from 2006 to 2008 there was steady increase of full-time employees in the public health care sector; from 108,975 in 2006 to 114,317 in 2008. In 2009, the number of full-time employees slightly declined to 114,175 and 114,432 in 2010. There was constant increase in total number of employees in the public health care sector, from 125,081 in 2006 to 129,357 in 2008. In 2009, the total number of employees decreased to 128,694 and in 2010 to 122,695. At the same time, the total expenditure of human resources in the health sector as the percentage of total health expenditure declined from 37.7% in 2006 to 34.7% in 2010. The public health sector salaries after steady increase from 59.9% of total health expenditure in 2006 to 61.2% in 2007 and 2008, decreased to 56.2% in 2010. The unemployment rate for medical doctors almost doubled in 2010 as compared to 2006. Conclusion. Preliminary study results showed that the world economic crisis had negative impact not only on GDP growth rate, the inflation and unemployment rate, but on the public health sector workforce, their salaries and unemployment rate in Serbia.