| Abstract [eng] |
The main aim of the paper is to analyse and evaluate the impact of health expenditure on life expectancy at birth and infant mortality in Lithuania The work consists of three main parts: analysis of literature, research and its results, conclusions and recommendations. The conducted analysis of literature sources reviews health state indicators of population, analyses the previously conducted research on the correlations between health expenditure and health state indicators, presents the model of health demand and reviews the health sector in Lithuania. The following part of the paper presents the research, which was conducted to identify the impact of health expenditure on health state indicators (on life expectancy at birth in general and by sex and infant mortality) in Lithuania. The acquired research results were compared with the ones received during similar research in foreign countries. The Grossman model of health demand as well as the method of correlation and regression analysis were applied while conducting the present research. The Pearson correlation coefficient and the method of Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) were also used in the research. Eviews statistical package was employed for processing the obtained data. The results of the conducted research allow concluding that public expenditure on health has a positive and statistically significant impact on life expectancy at birth. The life expectancy at birth among men is stronger influenced by a rise in public expenditure on health compared to that of women. The results reveal that the number of nurses is a relevant factor for life expectancy at birth. The obtained findings show that public expenditure on health has a positive and statistically significant impact on infant mortality rate. Although health expenditure has influence on life expectancy at birth, it is less significant compared to the impact of public health expenditure on infant mortality. Conclusions and recommendations generalise the main concepts identified in the literature analysis and discuss the results of the conducted research. On the basis of this research, the main focus of policy makers should be directed to increasing health expenditure and the number of nursing staff. The national health policy should be oriented to reducing the differences in health state indicators in Lithuania and the developed EU and world countries. |
