The Effect of Health and Education Expenditures on Poverty

Poverty is a phenomenon that influences and complicates the living conditions of individuals. Along with the poverty, individuals experience health problems, and educational and income levels of individuals may also be low. Countries are generally able to fight against poverty by increasing public expenditures and making some economic progresses. For that reason, analyzing the effect of health and education expenditures with a significant place in public expenditures and economic growth on poverty is highly important. In this chapter, the effect of health and education expenditures and economic growth on poverty in 2005 and 2016 period in eight Central and Eastern European countries has been analyzed using panel data analysis. As a result of the study, it has been determined that health and education expenditures and economic growth have a negative effect on poverty. In addition, a one-way causality from health and education expenditures to poverty and a two-way causality between economic growth and poverty have been detected.