مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - The Relationship between Income, Income Inequality and Health in Turkey: Evidence from Panel Data Analysis

Abstract :

The relationship between health and income has caught increasing attention in welfare economics and policy discussions. Many researches conducted in developed countries regarding income, income inequality and health relations have especially focused on testing assumptions of competing hypothesis that offer different linkages between health and income: absolute income hypothesis and income inequality hypothesis. The main purpose of this study is to investigate income, income inequality and health (infant mortality and under five mortality) relations in Turkey within absolute income and income inequality hypotheses framework. The analysis was conducted by using pooled OLS and panel data methods of FE and FD estimations for 1975-2001 aggregated regional data. The results of panel data method of FE and FD estimations supported absolute income hypothesis that higher per capita GDP is associated with lower infant and under five mortality rates in Turkey. Also the result of pooled OLS on infant mortality supported income inequality hypothesis that higher income inequality is associated with higher infant mortality in Turkey.