Background: Determinants of health or health production function in health economics literature
constitute noticeable issues in health promotion. This study aimed at estimating a health
production function for East Mediterranean Region (EMR) based on the Grossman theoretical
model.
Methods: This ecological study was performed using the econometric methods. The panel data
model was used in order to determine the relationship between life expectancy and socioeconomic
factors. The data for 21 EMR countries between 1995 and 2007 were used. Fixed-effect-model was
employed to estimate the parameters based on Hausman test.
Results: In estimating the health production function, factors such as income per capita
(β=0.05, P<0.001), education index (β=0.07, P<0.001), food availability (β=0.01, P<0.001), level
of urbanisation (β=0.10, P<0.001), and employment ratio (β=0.11, P<0.001) were specified
as determinants of health status, proxied by life expectancy at birth. A notable result was the
elasticity of life expectancy with respect to the employment rate and its significance level was
different between males (β=0.13, P0.001).
Conclusion: In order to improve the health status in EMR countries, health policymakers should
focus on the factors which lie outside the healthcare system. These factors are mainly associated
with economic growth and development level. Thus, the economic stabilisation policies with the
aim of increasing the productivity, economic growth, and reducing unemployment play significant
roles in the health status of the people of the region
