EXPENDITURE ON WELL-BEING, HIV PREVALENCE AND PERFORMANCE OF ECONOMIC GROWTH IN EAST AND SOUTHERN AFRICAN SUB- REGIONS

Abstract

This study was motivated by the dearth of current studies on the linkages among HIV,GDP and disaggregated outlay on well-being in Eastern and Southern African regions. Hence, the main focus of this study is to investigate the nature and direction of the Hsiao causality among HIV, GDP and disaggregated outlay on well-being in Eastern and Southern African regions. Aggregate time series data from 1994 to 2020 on these variables were used to test the unit root, cointegration and Hsiao causality bivariate regression model specified for each region. The results are mixed for the two regions: for the East African sub-region, the results suggest that total outlay on well-being does not Hsiao Granger cause GDP but GDP does (portending a one-way Granger causality). But for the Southern African sub-region, the results suggest that total outlay on well-being Hsiao Granger causes GDP and GDP Hsiao Granger causes Outlay on well-being (suggesting a two-way Granger causality). Keywords: Outlay On Well-Being; Growth; HIV Prevalence; East Africa Region;  Southern Africa Region.