Türkiye Ekonomisinde Sağlığa Dayalı Büyüme Hipotezinin Geçerliliğine İlişkin Ampirik Bir Analiz

Abstract

The positive effect of health expenditures on economic growth is explained by the health-led growth hypothesis in the literature. According to this hypothesis, increasing health expenditures increases economic growth by increasing total factor productivity. Since 2003, when the health transformation program was implemented in the Turkish economy, there have been significant increases in both the total health expenditures and the economic growth rate. This increase is important to investigate the health-led growth hypothesis in the Turkish economy. In this study, the health-led growth hypothesis in the Turkish economy was examined empirically for the period 1990-2019. ARDL bound test analysis is preferred as the method of empirical analysis. In the study, the variables that investigated the effects on per capita income are the per capita health expenditures, higher education gross enrollment rate, foreign direct investments, and household final consumption expenditures. The results of the analysis indicate that per capita health expenditures foreign direct investments and household final consumption expenditures have a positive effect on per capita income in the long run. However, the effect of higher education enrollment rate on per capita income is negative. In the short run, per capita, health expenditures, higher education gross enrollment rate, and household final consumption expenditures have a positive effect on per capita income. In addition, foreign direct investments have a negative effect on per capita income.