Dynamics of Economic Growth and Health Outcomes Among the Northern States of India: A Panel Data Analysis

Abstract

This article shows the relationship between health outcomes and economic growth for the period of 2002–2020 among the northern states of India. By using pooled ordinary least squares, fixed effect and random effect model, the study examines the impact of infant mortality, birth rate and death rate on gross state domestic product per capita at a constant price. The study takes gross capital formation and gross enrolment ratio as control variables. Data from the Reserve Bank of India and EPWRF states of India were retrieved and used in the study. The result shows that health outcomes and economic growth have a relatively substantial and significant association with each other. The results demonstrate that economic growth increases by 1% with a decrease in infant mortality rate by its elasticity coefficient –0.32. The results show that economic growth will increase by 1% with the increase in birth rate, gross enrolment ratio and gross fixed capital formation by its slope coefficients, that is, 0.10, 0.32 and 1.78 which are statistically significant at 1%, 5% and 1% level of significance. The finding of the study demonstrates that health outcomes remain a vital determinant in improving economic growth among the northern states. Our results advocate that the government spending on health should be improved; moreover, the government should frame health policies to boost health outcomes to level the disparities in health outcomes among the northern states of India.